


Cold Hard Cash

by Linyah



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Coming of Age, F/M, Female Reader, Friendship/Love, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Reader-Insert, Robin and Red X centric, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Slow To Update, Titans make minor appearances, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-23
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 05:36:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 48
Words: 80,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1014764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linyah/pseuds/Linyah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Between the many battles of good and evil, heroes and villains have barely enough time to tend to their wounds let alone replenish their arsenal. So during these times, a technological genius like yourself would be foolish to not take advantage of their burning hatred for each other. You were no fool. You would make anything they wanted as long as they had the cash to back it up.</p><p>Besides, no one said you had to pick a side. You were just looking out for number one. </p><p>Reader x Robin<br/>Reader x Red X</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Hero

**Author's Note:**

> I claim no ownership of Teen Titans in any way shape or form. Nor do I own you.

Your workshop was dark, save the desktop that was illuminated with bright white light. Littered a top your long desk sat many metal parts waiting to be combined and created into any weapon you imagined. They called out to you, singing your praises, and begged to be sold off to the highest bidder. You loved technology; it was your passion, your addiction, and you loved being able to create things out of scraps others could not imagine. However, the only downside was that you disliked all the room these creations took up. They took up an enormous amount of space when you were finished with them, and with your short attention span, you worked swiftly with each project and was just as fast to do away with them. 

Leaning over your desk, you carefully welded the high-density metal together. Switching off your soldering tool, you blew off the smoke and admired your handy work from behind your dark goggles. Your current project was just a bit longer than your forearm and looked like a grey baton that relay runners would pass to each other.

Stepping away from your workbench, you slashed your arm out to the side. Instantly the metal baton elongated into a bo staff. Being one of your more simple creations, the collapsible bo staff came in handy with mid-range and close range combat. You could not take complete recognition for the design since the commissioner mainly developed the concept, but you had the skill to make it come to life. 

With the press of a concealed button on the side of the weapon, it collapsed back into it's original form. Sighing a bit, you gave a small smirk. This was the last piece of weaponry that the commissioner had asked for. Pulling down your glove, you noted the time on your digital watch read four in the afternoon. You finished just in time for the deadline. 

Slipping past the other commissioned projects you had already finished, you picked up a silver briefcase before pushing open the door and climbing the stairs. 

Your workshop was far from the factories that surrounded the city. In fact, you chose to stay quite close to the downtown area so you could conduct your business easily. Your did not involve a store of any kind, whether it be online or otherwise, because every civilian would have access to your technology. Now if that happened, that would just cheapen your product. You wanted to keep your business exclusive to those already knowledgeable. By doing that, you can keep charging top dollar for your services; plus, the authorities didn't make an effort to hassle those in the downtown area. There were just too many people to keep track of. 

Your workshop was an underground extension of the condominium you had bought yourself. As a single, teen-aged girl, you barely had a social life, but that did not mean you neglected yourself of the good things in life.

Stripping yourself from your dark green jumpsuit, you changed into a pair of baggy cargo pants and a cropped jean jacket. You kept your worn work gloves, steel-toed boots and over sized goggles. It worked best if your customers did not know your face. It prevented them from recognizing you on the street and kept you out of trouble. 

 

This time you were requested to meet under the Bay Bridge, which was not unusual for this customer. They always requested you to show up at different locations of the city and at random times of the day, which was also not unusual. Assuming he had enemies, the change of locations meant he was trying to limit their ability to track him. This particular customer requested your services at least once a month for weapon reconfiguration, updates and replacements. He was a really busy person. 

Now normally, when you were required to work on the same project more than once, you would get particularly annoyed. However, the state that these weapons would be returned to you would always vary. Whether you needed to fix water blockage, fried circuits or create new ones from scratch, the projects would always be a new challenge. Just when you thought you knew the weapon inside and out, he would bring it in such a state of disrepair that you needed to rethink your game plan. It was actually rather amusing. You loved challenges.

 

Within the span of fifteen minutes, you had made it to the designated meeting area by the travel of your hover bike. You created the hover bike yourself, mainly because it required less maintenance than the other terrain vehicles on the market. It was your big, red, baby. Turning your vehicle, you slowed it to a stop before you could crash into the teenage boy. 

Said boy stayed propped up against one of the steel beams of the bridge, his own bike a little ways away from him. It was a pretty piece of work. Owning a bright red street-racer, complete with all the fixings, was no cheap feat. He had to have some deep pockets for that. That’s what convinced you to take him on as a customer in the first place. The fact he was good eye candy was the cherry on top.

He kept a mask propped over his eyes, and spiked his hair up. A black and gold cape adorned his shoulders over a red breasted and green-sleeved shirt that hugged him. Body fitting green pants fed into black steel toed/ steel-soled boots. His look was completed with green gloves that ran up to his forearms, a golden utility belt around his waist, and a golden “R” badge on the left side of his chest. 

Turning the key, your bike turned off and touched down onto the ground. It was rather quiet save for the sound of cars travelling above you and the water churning beside you. 

“You’re late.” 

Leaping off your bike, you gave the boy a lazy salute. “Can‘t rush perfection, hero.” With the press of a button, the lid of the back compartment of your bike lifted to reveal the suitcase. Picking it up, you unlatched it, propped the lid open and turned to the teen. “Everything is here: birdarangs, smoke bombs, grappling cables, electric discs, and liquid nitrogen discs.” The boy leaned in, his index pressed against his chin as he inspected your work. One by one he held them, tested them, and hummed in thought. Closing the case, he gave a satisfied look.

You licked your lips, a ghost of a smile creeping over them. You were going to get paid today, you could feel it in your bones. 

“Looks good,” the teen stood straight, “and my bo?” 

Whisking the metal object from your pocket, you twirled it several times, extending it and shortening it before handing it to him. “This time I used heat treated 15-5PH stainless steel. Maybe this time it’ll hold up better than your last one.” 

He inspected you cautiously before taking it from you and giving a curt nod.

An pregnant awkward silence passed between you both. He just observed you, not moving, or speaking. He made no motion to speak as if he was waiting for you to do so. He was such an awkward character. He rarely ever raised his voice towards you, and seemed apprehensive when asking for your services. He clearly didn't have a villain's desire to control others. So instead of waiting for him to make the first move, you gave a dry cough while holding out your hand asking for your part of the deal. 

As if to snap out of his thoughts, he shook his head and pulled out his wallet. “How much are we talking?” 

“Hmm, considering you are a reoccurring customer, I’ll give you a discount. Three hundred smackeroos for my services.” 

“Th-that’s a discount? But that’s double the **normal** amount!” The teen looked at you incredulously. 

“And **normally** , I don’t have to clean plasma, and toxic waste out of your weapons, hero.” You folded your arms across your chest, giving him a dry look. “You’re lucky I’m not connected to the city’s power grid or I’d be charging you my electric bill too.”

You were right, and he knew somewhere deep down that he owed you more than money. You had saved his behind countless times by keeping his arsenal in good shape. He would give you his weapons, complete with a due date, and you would only nod with compliance no matter how steep the date. Your work was simply exemplary compared to others he had gone to, and to say your work was not worth every penny would be a leather glove to the face. His moral would not allow him to haggle any lower.

Sighing in frustration, the boy opened his wallet to reveal just fewer than 100 dollars. His eyes twitched in annoyance. He had forgotten to withdraw cash from his back account. “Uhm…I don’t suppose you take debt?” 

You gave him an incredulous look. “Where exactly do you expect me to swipe it? Cash only, hero.”


	2. The Assholes

You stretched your tired limbs. Too long had you been cramped in this room working away at the projects that piled up. It was late into the night by now, and you had just finished adding the last touches to your creations. Your latest commission had come in the form of an encrypted email earlier this week. One of your more frequent customers had sent in an order for several training bots.

You learned some time ago that this customer (or customers) specialized in training future villains at a school located somewhere within the city. If you remembered correctly, if was called the H.I.V.E or something. They often called in for technological repairs or system upgrades. The only time you were requested for any type of manufacturing, it was when they were attempting to impress a potential employer. 

Looks like Jump City was going to go under some harsh battle conditions once again. Not that you cared too much. The population was so use to the fighting by now that the pedestrians managed to avoid them purely by instinct. 

Well regardless of the reason, you were finished your part of the agreement and that was all that mattered. You had a feeling you were going to get paid well tonight. 

Opportunities always presented themselves when dealing with the good and bad. They were always on such a tight deadline. Being the only specialized weapons dealer in the area (not monitored by the authorities), combined with the constant tight schedule of your customers, played to your advantage. It made them desperate. And in your language, desperate meant cash. 

Lifting your goggles from your face, you admired your handiwork. Four largely build androids stood absently before you. Their armor shone in a light blue tint from the dim light that barely managed to light your work area. The tender technology lay hidden beneath the numerous layers of protective armor. White panels lined the armor to give them a sleek design. You sighed in admiration of the finished product. It was a pain to get the panels to shine the way they did. But now you can see that the hard work paid off. 

Lifting your hand to the chest of one of the bots, you ghosted your fingers over the shallow ‘M’, which had been engraved. It was your insignia. You engraved it on every piece of machinery you handled. It was somewhat of a calling card or signature if you will. It was not uncommon; you ran a business after all. It stood for the alias you conducted business under. Despite it being rather cliché, and reminiscent of the villains and heroes you catered to, you also created an alias for yourself. Once you started working for these dangerous people, it was the only way you could ensure a back up plan in case anything went wrong. For the past few years, ever since you had begun your line of work, you had been known by your customers as “Mecha”. 

Giving a loud yawn, you pulled away from the robot. Taking a controller from your workbench, you programmed the internal GPS systems of the with the address of the school. In an instant, the frozen figures bloomed into life with the new information. In a single file, they walked through the stairs and turned out the door. You did not bother with changing your clothes before hurrying after them. 

The transaction was simple. You delivered the goods and you got your money. In fact, you charged them double the amount, and they did not even bat an eyelash at the steep expense. It must have been a particularly important employer if they were that desperate. 

After counting the cash carefully, you locked it away in the safe you hid in your workshop. You felt rather accomplished and mentally patted yourself on the back. Now you could take a break and focus on one of your own projects for a change. 

However, first thing is first. You needed to sleep. 

Opening the door to your condominium, you were greeted with empty darkness and silence. On your way to the couch, you removed your goggles, gloves and boots, scattering them across the floor. With as much grace as a flying rhino, you tossed yourself onto the couch, letting sleep comfort you into the dark abyss. 

 

**

.x[X]x.

**

 

You were rudely woken by the bright light that tore through your large windows and the annoying grumble in your abdomen. Mumbling some profanities, you pushed yourself off the warm cushion and ran your hand through your hair. According to the clock that hung on your wall, it was noon. That was an early time for you to get up. Normally when you are awake most of the night, you sleep until at least four in the afternoon. 

Your stomach gave another violent growl, urging you to fuel up. In a dazed state, you complied, barely avoiding tripping over your own feet on your way to the kitchen. You opened the fridge; empty. You opened the cabinets; empty. Moreover, you had finished the last of the frozen foods last week so your freezer was also inconveniently….empty. 

**GROWWWWWWWWWL**

It felt as if your stomach was eating itself from the inside out. Without another thought, you picked up some cash and ran out the door to the closest fast food place. Luckily, you knew a good place just down the street. Turning out of the garage, you rode your hover bike, but barely got two feet before running into a large crater that sunk all the way down, breaking into the run off pipes that ran underneath the roads. The buildings in the area were also damaged significantly. There must have been another fight while you were asleep. 

Giving a frustrated sigh, you turned down the opposite direction towards the beach. You had no choice now; you had to go the round about way. You were just happy there was no traffic today. Well, there was no one on the road frankly. Everyone was still probably hiding. 

Turning down to the road that ran parallel to the beach, an interesting sight caught your eye. The boy wonder had washed up on the beach, soaked to the bone and unconscious. He must have been caught in the fight, falling into the run off pipes. Slowing to a stop, you contemplated for a minute before jumping off and venturing down there yourself. Despite how hungry you were, you could not ignore how pitiful he looked. Rolling him over, you knelt to his side, leaned over his frame and checked for vital signs. You noticed a small gash against his temple. The heavy current of the runoff must have slammed him against the wall of the pipe and knocked him out. At the very least, he was breathing. You were not too surprised to see him alive. He had protected the city for a while now. Compared to the previous fights he has been in, you would assume that the little trip through the sewer pipes were a small feat. 

Since you were down here already, you might as well pull him away from the water’s edge. Despite growing wet in the process, you managed to pull him up and away from the water. Even if he were unconscious, at the very least he would be able to dry properly. Besides, he was the hero, he can survive anything.

“I can’t believe they scattered like rats! Titans, Shmitans! They’re just a bunch of crud munchers!” A rather nasally voice sang from the street above. 

“They’re not as tough as people make them sound.” A deeper voice agreed. They were definitely getting closer. 

“We’ll wipe them out with the second phase of our plan. First we‘ll crush them, then we‘ll kill them.” A mellow female voice followed after.   
Your heart almost skipped a beat. Maybe he can‘t survive everything, not in this state anyway. Taking the boy wonder, you quickly pulled him underneath the brush that jutted from the side of the shallow cliff. If the hero and his group scattered because of these three people, then these people were serious. He wouldn't be able to take the three of them on his own, and you were no fighter. There would be no doubt they’d beat you senseless too if they saw you helping their enemy. 

“Hey~ check out this bike.” The boy with the deeper voice spoke up. 

“It looks like a pretty nice ride. I wonder why someone would leave something like this in the middle of the road.” The girl spoke up. 

Damn! You almost forgot about your bike. You didn't think it would take long to check on the teen. You also didn't expect the villains to show up. 

“It’s snot! A toilet is more up to date than this piece of junk!” 

Next thing you knew, you found your bike hurtling over your head and landing in a heap in front of you. Their chorus of laughter faded as the three teens moved on to wreak havoc somewhere else in the city. You clenched your jaw tightly, glaring at your broken baby. 

“Assholes.”


	3. The Dealer

Robin groggily opened his eyes blinking several times at the ceiling. His head gave a dull throb jumbling his thoughts incoherently. Slowly he became aware of the sluggishness of his body; he felt heavy and the pounding against his skull did little to comfort him. Suddenly, memories of the fight with the H.I.V.E students flooded back and he jolted from his laying positing. His heart pumped with adrenaline in his attempt to quickly analyze the situation. However, he moved too quickly for his head to agree with as it ached with ferocity. The poor teen gripped his head, giving a small growl. 

Just where the hell was he anyway?

Heaven?

No, the savage pounding in his brain seemed to disagree.

Was he taken prisoner by the H.I.V.E?

Glancing down, he noticed that his belt was missing, along with majority of his weapons. Becoming a captive seemed to be the most plausible reason at this point.

Looking around, the boy wonder noticed that despite waking up on the floor, he was not tied nor shackled. In fact, the room he was a far cry from a prison. It looked like an open concept loft or condominium that belonged to a wealthy individual; however, there was little furniture to speak of. In fact, within the whole living room area, Robin noted that the only furniture in the entire place was a couch, a small coffee table, the drapes against the large windows, and the flat screen television against the wall. The only light in the room was the small sliver of sunlight that peeked through the gaps between the drapes. 

In a way, he was afraid to move. It looked clean, too clean. He did not detect any sort of alarm or lasers that confined him within the room. There was nothing to stop him from walking out, but the hero could not help but wonder if there was a catch. In his line of work there always was a catch. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he racked his brain for an explanation, but none came.

How did he go from falling into the runoff pipes, to waking on the floor of an expensive condominium?

Where was rationality when he needed it?

Suddenly a click was heard, and a rush of air. The boy wonder shot up from his seat on the floor to a fighting position in the direction of the noise.

“Oh, you’re up,” you spoke up in surprise. Standing in the doorway of your bathroom, the steam slowly drifted around you rolling out of the room.   
“Took you long enough,” you held a towel over your head ruffling your damp locks. The teen had been out for hours and you had grown tired of waiting for him to wake. Originally, you were going to wait until he awoke and left before you would take a shower, but you couldn’t take the feeling of oil and sand sticking to every part of you for that long. 

Since it was nearly impossible to transport your bike to your shop by yourself, you attempted to repair it on the beach. When you checked the engine for damages, the oil sprung a leak and exploded in your face drenching you from head to toe. Deciding to cut your losses at your bike, you instead focused on getting the hero to safety. You had an even harder time trying to lug the boy wonder back to your place. 

“Who are you? What do you want from me?” The teen boy winced from the sudden brightness, but did not move from his stance. You noticed that his muscles tensed in anticipation. 

You bit the inside of your cheek in annoyance with your poor memory. You had done business with the teen so often that you had grown comfortable and let your guard down. The fact that he had never seen your face completely slipped your mind. 

“I found you washed up on the beach. You’ve been passed out for hours.” You let the towel slip more over your face ever so slightly. Thanking the dark lighting, you turned your back to the hero and retreated back into the bathroom. There you hung up the towel and replaced it with a new clean pair of goggles. 

Returning to his view in a recognizable appearance, the teen relaxed his stance. 

“Oh...it’s you...”

“Don’t you sound appreciative,” you mumbled under your breath.   
You disappeared into your kitchen and when you reappeared, you held a bottle of water, a bag of chips and a small bottle of pills. 

“Sorry for the floor seat,” placing the items on the table, you gave a sigh. “I would’ve put you on the couch but…well...” The teen noticed the way you looked him up and down in an apathetic way.

Taking a better look at himself, he noted that his suit was encrusted with sand, oil, and other pieces of paper that must have been in the runoff pipe. 

Apprehensively, he lifted his arm and gave a good sniff. Instantly, he whipped his head back in repulsion. He smelled absolutely disgusting! He must have moved too fast, because his head pulsed in aggravation again. Wincing slightly, he cradled his head in his hands in an attempt to soothe the pain.

You gave a haughty laugh at his reaction. Picking up the painkillers and bottled water, you tossed them in his direction. 

“These are extra strength so they should keep you in decent shape until you actually get medical attention. Just make sure you eat something,” you looked pointedly at the chips, “they tend to shoot right to your head otherwise.”

The teen undid the cap and eagerly downed a couple of pills before cracking open the bag of snacks you provided. After filling his stomach, he placed the bag back on the table feeling the pain slowly ebb away. As he watched you draw the drapes back from the windows letting the golden light seep in he noticed he had never had the opportunity to take in your form until now. You always hid your face behind the large goggles, but, thanks to his few years of character profiling knowledge, he could tell by your frame and mannerisms that you were not so much older than he was. He couldn’t ignore the way your damp hair clung to your supple skin. The way the sleeve of your tank top fell from your shoulder, exposing the nape of your neck. The way your shirt exposed the dip of your waist as it rode up when you raised your arms. The way your shirt hugged the swell of your-

“Ahem,” clearing your throat, you managed to bring the boy out of his thoughts. At the realization that he had been caught staring, Robin flushed hues of pink turning away in embarrassment.

“And here people thought heroes have such a high virtuous moral.” You rolled your eyes and pointed outside the window, “I was saying that whoever you were fighting with took over your tower a while ago. They’ve made additions to it since then.” Glancing out the window, he noticed how the sun was already starting to set. In the distance he saw that Titan tower now looked like a golden “H”. The additional attachment looked like the structure of a beehive; there was little debate as to whom that could have been the result of.

The teen frowned in slight annoyance. He didn’t think they would have made that much progress in such a short amount of time. Who were these people, and what did they want? A feeling boiled within him. It was like a combination of fury and determination. He always loved a challenge. 

Quickly turning back to you, he gave you a stern look. “Where are my weapons?”

“You had none when I found you.”

“Then do you have anything I can use?”

You gave a laugh. You were a weapons dealer; of course you had some on hand.   
“I think it’s your lucky day, hero. I might just happen to have an extra bo and some birdarangs lying about somewhere.” Thinking back to your precious hover bike, a sudden wave of revenge coursed through you. “And just because I’m feeling generous, you can have them for free.”   
You couldn't help but give a smirk at the thought of the boy wonder pounding his enemies away with the weapons you would supply; the thought alone was satisfying. However, your smile dropped when you received a whiff of the stench that practically radiated from him. 

“But first, the hero needs a shower.”

The teen quirked a brow while crossing his arms over his chest.

“First of all my name isn't ’hero’, it’s Robin. We've known each other for this long; you should at least call me by my name.  
And there is no point to a shower. My suit is dirty, and I have no other clothes to change into.”

Narrowing your eyes at the boy, you gave him an ultimatum. “No shower, no weapons. Bathe with the thing on for all I care, but you’re not running around my place smelling like that.”

**.x[X]x.**

After reuniting with his friends, Robin was able to defeat the H.I.V.E trio. It took little effort to toss them away. Only when the excitement died down did Beast Boy ask,“Hey Robin, where’d you disappear to anyway?” The green boy gave a good sniff in the air, leaning closer to the teen. “And why do you smell like... strawberry body wash?”

The Titan leader gave a heavy sigh with a dry look crossing his face.

“It’s a long story…”

**.xX[Extended Ending]Xx.**

Within the confines of the tall concrete walls, a lone figure sat shrouded by darkness. He sat comfortably before a large screen; replaying the video the school had provided him to display the skills of their students. He wasn't particularly interested in the students as much as he was in the robots they had demolished. Pausing the screen, he zoomed in on the small, palm-sized insignia etched into the armor of the bot.

The light emanating from the large screen barely illuminated the room, but it was enough to reflect the shape of his armour and his orange and black mask. He only had one usable eye but it was enough to see the opportunity that had presented itself before him

The man smirked behind his steel plated mask.

It looked like he just found himself an interesting piece to his puzzle.

He found himself a dealer.


	4. The Unexpected Visitor

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Metal pounded against metal in your workshop as you worked on your latest commission. Some crackpot millionaire wanted to harness the power of light and requested weapons that could project high density light beams. The cash wasn’t the problem with this commission. After all, the customer was a refined millionaire, if you needed the cash he would be more than willing to cough it out. However, unfortunately for you, metal that was capable of withstanding such high intensity heat was hard to come by in the black market these days. With the authorities cracking down on villains lately, it limited your access to some of the essential materials needed to complete the more complicated commissions. When it came to specialized pieces, you had no other choice but to make them yourself. It was a longer and more tedious task, but it would get the job done.

With a couple more slams of your hammer against the hot metal, you slipped the sheet into a press that used large amounts of pressure to mold it. Once done, you tossed the final piece into a large bucket of water to cool off. 

Why were villains so complicated? When they weren’t asking for cliche weapons of mass destruction they wanted to be unique. One person wants a remote to control all the electronics known to man, and the next wants a guitar to produce supersonic sound waves. Not that you cared for these villains, you were paid either way, but when they asked for destructive equivalents of everyday toys you couldn’t help but sigh in annoyance. This was why you loved the commissions requested by the hero. His weapons were simplistic yet effective- technology at its finest. He used them as an extension of himself not as a ‘go-to’ weapon every time he had a fight. At least there was one person you catered to who wasn’t bent on world domination and unnecessary chaos.

Turning to your towering furnace, you shut the mouth of the humongous giant and turned it off. It was sweltering in your workshop, and had been for the past two days. After double checking that all your equipment had been shut down properly and safely, you made your way up to the main floor. You had been slaving over molten pieces of metal for a day and a half without sleep trying to finish this project on time. You somehow mixed the commissions and had placed this project out of order. If your customer hadn’t sent you a follow up email, you were sure you would have missed the deadline entirely. That doesn’t fly well when you have a perfectly eager and perfectly naive millionaire seeking you out. Missing this deadline would be like flushing money down the toilet. 

Reaching the main floor you quickly discarded your protective face mask and opened all the available windows. You would have turned on the air conditioning, but your generator had been on full blast to fuel your furnace. If it were to take on any more stress, you were sure it would break down. Tearing off your gloves, you tossed them into the trash. The heat managed to eat through them with little effort, and attempting to use them any further would only put you in danger of burning yourself severely. Next, you shoved off the upper half of your green jump suit leaving it to hang off your hips. Underneath revealed your over heated, and sweating upper body. Your black tank top did well to reveal your toned form. 

Your shoulders sagged slightly as you slumped against the couch. Even the upper level was terribly hot despite the numerous open windows. 

A knock at your door disrupted your exhausted stupor. Turning to your clock, you noted that it was noon. The only reason someone knocked on your at this time of day was because your neighbors would constantly complain about how noisy you were being.

Another knock pressed you for a response.

“Yeah! I get the message! I’ll quiet down!”

A pregnant pause ensued and you assumed that whoever was at your door had left. With a sigh, you leant your head against the back of the couch in defeat. A small nap would be a good reward for all your hard work for the past two days.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Groaning in irritated agony, you pathetically pushed yourself up from the couch, and dragged yourself to the door. Obviously whoever this was had a serious bone to pick with you, and wouldn’t allow you to get away with this easily. Giving a sigh, you mentally prepared yourself for the verbal beating yourself for the verbal beating you were about to receive. Jolting the door open, you shut your eyes tight and took a deep breath.

“I get it, I’ll stop the noises! I’ll hand you a paid compensation if you want, so just let me off easy this time!” Wincing, you awaited the screeching fest which was sure to follow. It had happened more than once, and it was never pretty; however, this time only silence followed. Against your better judgement you peeked an eye open. 

The teen hero stood before you in all his wondrous glory; an amused expression etched onto his face. 

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not here about your noise making.” 

You quickly shut your eye and the door with it. You shouldn’t have even opened the damn thing in the first place. With your back against the door, you held your hand over your chest in an attempt to slow down the pace of your heart. Seeing him at your door step made your nerves stand on end. Swallowing hard, you scowled at the floor. 

“I don’t speak English, go home. “ 

“You know, that would be a convincing argument if you weren’t speaking the language.” The boy wonder could only chuckle at your childishness. He quirked a brow as your door opened slightly revealing a smoldering green eye that glared out. 

“I’m foreign, I’m sick, I’m not who you think I am, pick whichever one works best for you and leave.” 

The teen huffed in irritation, but swallowed his pride and stood his ground. 

“Listen, I just-“

“What part of ‘don’t come back’ do you not understand?” You opened the door just enough to look out into the hall. You had to make sure no one was there to hear the conversation. “This is bad for business,” you hissed under your breath. 

“Well, leaving me standing in the hall is being rather counterproductive then, don’t you think?”

“Or you could just leave,” you grumbled hotly. Before the teen could fire back, the sound of keys and voices echoed from further down the hallway. You clenched your teeth in frustration; now he wouldn’t leave. The smirk on his face said that he was willing to stand there just for the sake of being seen. The voices grew louder as they neared your door. If anyone saw the teen and you together in the building, it would definitely be bad for business. Heroes were like celebrities, if they were spotted somewhere gossip and paparazzi would follow. You could see it now, the paparazzi would get word of the hero coming to your condo and they would swarm like flies. You wouldn’t be able to work on your commissions in fear of being discovered by the paparazzi. In the end, no matter how you looked at it, you would either have to move away, or you would be sent to jail. You had just found yourself a nice place to live with a good view, and a steady source of income. He was not going to destroy paradise.

Giving a growl, you swung the door wide open and pulled the teen inside roughly just in time to miss the passersby. Turning, you gave the boy wonder a pointed look before softening slightly when you met with his masked eyes. Running your fingers through your hair, you gave up. You were too tired to be angry with him today.


	5. The Unexpected Visitor II

After recovering from the rough manhandling, the hero made his way over to the couch with a smirk spread across his lips. He felt accomplished for being able to make it into this place again. The boy wonder expected to be rudely shut out without even a word of explanation. He expected to be ignored despite all his effort to get your attention. Then again, perhaps he used his overwhelming popularity to sway you- even if it was in the most unconventional of ways. But that didn’t matter now, for he was inside your safe haven.

With him, you noticed, was a five foot long surf board. It was bright red and looked as if it was made of solid metal. What did he think he was pulling? Did he think he could bring in different merchandise into your home without consent? It was insulting to say the least. Bringing new technology from other technicians was like a slap to the face.

“Hey hero, rule number one when you’re in my place: Weapons made by other suppliers are left at the door. If I don’t make it, I don’t trust it.” 

The teen raised his hand up defensively and carefully placed the board on the floor. 

“Before you jump to any conclusions, let me just say I came all the way here to give you this.” The teen took to the contraption and pushed a button a top the board. Within seconds the board came to life. Light illuminated from within the machine and it began to glow white revealing the intricate red designs that weaved through the body. That intricate red design was the signature of the Teen Titan technician, Cyborg. You recognized that type of technological hardware anywhere; it was his calling card. Technology was like an art, and each mechanic had their own artistic style. That was how you could distinct your work from Cyborg’s or any other amateur out there. 

The fans beneath the body spun soundlessly and lifted the technology off the floor. From the back of the board, small compact thruster exhaust vents pushed themselves out of the body. It was an impressive piece of work. 

“It’s a hover board,” he stated obviously. “I noticed your bike was trashed back at the beach the day you found me. I thought this might compensate for your bike and the weapons you gave me.”

Walking around the contraption, you drew your hands over the meticulously crafted machine. It must have taken them some time to create this. Hover technology took some research and testing. Combine that with their normally hectic schedule, and it wouldn’t surprise you if it took them years to finish something like this. You only managed to finish your hover bike in a relatively timely manner, because you had no social life. 

“It only took a week or so to make.” Or it could take them a week. Even for you, a week was a hard timeline to create something so well put together, but perhaps this was an example of how skilled and influential a hero was. They had the trust of the government, so they had a lot more freedom compared to any other pedestrian.

“Hmm... Cryogenically tempered titanium, chrome plated accents, internal thrusts,” your eyes glittered in excitement as you noticed a particularly interesting component. Leaning in for a closer look, your heart almost stopped when you realized what it was.

“Is that a mini arc reactor?!” 

You turned to the boy with absolute awe. It was horribly difficult to find one of these things; they were like the diamonds of the technological world. You had tried countless times to find a supplier, but they were all over seas and refused to cater to you. No one in their right mind would attempt to make them on their own, because it was a mini fusion reactor. Creating a mini fusion reactor required many workers and resources that you did not have. In the end, these things were rare and expensive for good reason. 

“Yeah, Cyborg helped me draw up a design for the board, and he insisted that it have a built in power source. It wasn’t too hard to find a supplier.” Robin scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. Your gleeful smile was contagious, and he found himself staring. He had never seen such a reaction before, especially when he factor in girls and technology into the same equation. It was a rather strange sight to see. Many typical girls you age were concerned about clothing and relationships, but here you were fawning over a piece of technology.

“I have to say, this is some quality work.” Pushing the button, it slowly powered down and lowered itself to the floor. “Looks like you’re not just muscles and good looks. Good job, hero.” You were so busy admiring the hover craft that you obliviously missed the pink hue that dusted his cheeks. 

“Heh, thanks.” He pulled at the collar of his neck, suddenly aware of the high temperature in your home. He wiped the sweat that had unknowingly accumulated on his brow. 

“Why is it so hot in here anyway?” He questioned, taking a seat on the couch.

Shaking yourself from your stupor, you made a quick trip to the kitchen to pick up a pair of glasses and a pitcher from the fridge. His arrival had almost made you forget about your heating problem. 

“I’ve been tempering metal for one of my commissions, so it’s been like a sauna in here for a while.” Placing a glass before the boy wonder, you poured him some of the liquid from the pitcher before pouring a glass for yourself. 

The liquid was light pink in colour, translucent, and was rather intimidating to look at. It reminded Robin of Starfire’s cooking, and that rarely went well. A look of discomfort crossed his face, something you rarely got to see. You chuckled at his antics. 

“It won’t kill you,” you encouraged while taking a seat beside him. You took a gulp of your own glass for emphasis; however, despite the act, he still didn’t buy it. Starfire would often eat her own cooking to show how delicious it was. After all the times she had done it, Robin knew better. Now he had grown cautious of any type of suspicious coloured food. He noticed the expectant way you looked at him, and he didn’t want to disappoint you even though his better judgement was screaming for him to decline. 

Delicately lifting the glass to his lips he took a leap of faith and swallowed the drink. It was a pleasant surprise. The pink drink tasted sweet and went down easily. There were after tones of citrus, berries and mint. It was something he had never experienced before. He took in more of the delightful drink noticing how it instantly cooled off his body; it would work wonders in the summer. 

“Good isn’t it? I like to call it Sweesis.” You had learned this trick from some mechanics you had bunked with when you were travelling the country years ago. It was such a convenient drink that you stole the recipe when they refused to give it to you. There was never really a name for it, so in the end you ended up making up your own. 

“Sweesis?” The teen looked at you questionably.

You nodded tiredly, taking another swig of the drink before closing your eyes and leaning your head against the back of the couch.

“It’s short for ‘Sweet Oasis’,” you had mumbled something incoherent after that the boy wonder didn’t quite catch, not that he paid much attention, he was too busy focusing on that name. 

Robin turned away sharply to stifle a laugh. He couldn’t believe how absurd the name sounded; it was so cheesy. It reminded him of how young children would give objects absurd pet names. However, he couldn’t say that the name wasn’t befitting. With the desert like temperature in the confines of this small area, the “Sweesis” definitely acted as an oasis. 

Swallowing hard, he kept a straight face. Only when he regained his composure did he turn back to you. Leaning his arms over the back of the couch, he gave a smirk.

“Did you come up with that name on your own?” He questioned with a grin. Laughter was bubbling in his stomach again. But there was no sarcastic response.

“Mecha?” He disregarded his drink and leaned closer in worry. When you gave a tired sigh did he exhale a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. He noticed the dark circles beneath your closed eyes; you must have been tired. He hadn’t been able to see your face clearly before due to the large goggles you used. Perhaps it was because you were tired that you forgot to wear them today. His expression softened at the sight. Taking the empty cup from your lax hands, he noticed the many scars that littered your skin. He was caught off guard at how fast you fell asleep, especially with him there. He expected that with your personality you would have tried every trick in the book to get him out the door. 

The sound of the T-communicator caught his attention. The boy wonder’s face flushed a light shade of pink when he realized he had been staring. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he opened the device. 

“Yo, Robin! Where are you, man? We’ve been waiting at The Slice for a half an hour! If you don’t hurry, I’m gonna eat your share!” 

Robin reeled back from Cyborg’s loud tone. His heart almost skipped a beat when you stirred in your sleep. When you slumped further down, your shirt pushed up exposing your midriff. Heat returned to the hero’s face. 

“I’ll be there soon!” The team leader ushered under a hushed voice in hopes that his friend would catch the implication.

Cyborg looked closer at the other teen through the communicator. 

“Dude, why’s your face red? Where are yo-” Robin ended the call before the teen could press any further. Turning away your sleeping form he gave a disappointed sigh. He had hoped to talk with you for a bit longer. He was hoping to learn more about you. It was not like the boy wonder to pry, but something inside kept ushering to push forward. It was an understatement to say he was curious. You were a real mystery to him, and mysteries were meant to be solved. But there was nothing he could do now. Scrounging for paper and a pen, he left a note a top the hover board before departing.

**.xXx.**

Waking from your slumber, you rubbed the sleep from your eyes. You had the craziest dream that the hero had come to visit you. It was one of the most absurd dreams you had experienced in a while. It was up there with that dream you had about male hula dancers crawling out of toilets.

Rolling off the couch lazily, you noticed the red hover board awaiting your company. Groaning, you crawled your way over to the foreign technology. So it wasn’t just a dream after all. That was just great. A top the board sat a small sticky note.

**  
**Thanks for the drink.  
-Robin  


He obviously didn’t understand the boundary you were attempting to establish. You pinched the bridge of your nose in aggravation. This was just what you-  
Your eyes shot open in panic. Your hands flew to every inch of your face in confirmation. When you didn’t feel the reinforced plexiglas beneath your fingertips you groaned in defeat, and flung yourself backward onto the floor. The whole time he was here you had forgotten to wear your goggles! Of all the blasted things to forget!

You face palmed and tried to wipe the memory from your mind. This was breaking rule number one of your rules of business: never meet customers on a personal basis. Staring at the ceiling, you gave a heavy sigh. Absolutely nothing good was going to come of this.


	6. The Villain

You awoke that morning to a very bright, very annoying, notification on your computer screen. The screen blared a bright white light that burned your eyes. Spare technological parts scattered around you and fell to the floor as you pushed yourself up into a sitting position from your workbench. You must have fallen asleep while watching a movie on your computer; with business as slow as it was lately, you had little to do. Stretching your sore limbs, you began to wonder why you never actually spent time in your bed. If you recalled correctly, you had spent a good amount for a large, comfy bed; it would be a waste if you didn’t use it.

Adjusting the goggles to fit comfortably on your face, you turned your attention to the brightly blinking screen. Whenever you received mail it was usually due to a supplier update or a new commission, but the icon that was displayed for the email was nothing like you had ever seen before. It was a silver ‘S’ with a black and orange background split down the middle. No supplier or customer you knew had a logo like that, and that could only mean one thing.

 

Money.

Clicking on the icon, your screen turned black. What replaced your background was a red skull with a loading bar beneath it. A virus was being downloaded into your system. Before you could activate any type of software to correct the problem, the screen was overrun with encrypted symbols. Were they trying to pressure you into decoding all these symbols in less than an hour? 

Pursing your lips, you attempted to pull up the control screen to no avail. The accursed screen mocked you with the words “Unable to Perform Action”. This was absurd! This person was pushing you to decrypt almost a hundred pages of encrypted code in less than an hour to protect your laptop. If you failed, it would wipe out your entire database, taking all the important customer information with it. This person was psychotic! This was crazy! This was borderline torture! 

It was a test.

Licking your lips, you grinned with excitement. Nothing gave you an adrenaline rush like a good challenge did. You loved challenges. You especially liked the types that included a fat wad of cash when you completed them. 

Cracking your knuckles, you quickly got down to work. If your customer felt the need to test you, well then you didn’t want to disappoint. 

 

****

-.x[X]x. 

-

Completing the decryption was a bit harder than you had anticipated. You repeatedly had to redo pages because the codes you had used didn’t work. This person was obviously well versed with the most recent technological codes. 

Deciphering the last encryption, you almost punched your computer screen in excitement. Your screen returned to normal, but instead of your background image you were greeted with a video conference with a dark, male figure. He hid his face behind a black and orange mask with only his left eye visible. He held himself with an air of dominance of which you had never seen the likes of. It was rather refreshing to see a man so in charge. Judging from his muscularity, he looked to be a fully grown man. A fairly **strong** fully grown man.

“Congratulations, you managed to decipher the codes with a minute to spare.”

Your lips set in a firm line. The sound of this man’s voice was cool and collected. He definitely reminded you of those cold hearted super villains. Those types would come across your business from time to time. Most of your commissions usually came from petty small fry villains and heroes who had some cash to spare, but you catered to enough of these super villains to know they were the most dangerous to work with. Most of them had psychopathic natures, or mental issues that drastically altered their way of thinking. They were definitely out of the ordinary, and keeping a far distance was probably the safest thing to do. 

“You must be Mecha.”

“The one and only. I see you’ve heard of me.” It was common for your customers to recommend your business to others. That was the way your business worked after all. It kept you away from the prying eyes of the police. 

“You’ve come with high recommendations. I have seen some of your work first hand. They are quite remarkable.”

“You’re very flattering, but I would rather we get down to business.”

He chuckled, clearly amused with your response. It almost made your blood run cold. **Almost.**

“Straight to the point, I like that.”

The video screen moved to top left of your screen to make room for a loading bar.

“This is the only technology that I request.”

When the download was complete, you quickly scanned over the schematics. 

“You went through the trouble of sending a new generation of encrypted codes just to request a single android?”

The video window returned to take up the most of your screen. 

“The android is merely another test. I want to see the technology at work before I invest any large sum.”

The words “large sum” instantly caught your interest. Leaning closer to your laptop, you eyed the figure. Suddenly you were more interested in what this man had to say. 

“Large sum?” Your eyes glistened hungrily behind your goggles. “How much are we talking here?”

“All in due time, Mecha. But you should know that money is no object.”

You had to resist the urge to salivate. Now those were words you liked to hear! This customer might just be worth your while. Humoring him wouldn’t be such a bad idea. The worst he could do was destroy the city and everyone along with it. But you were the one who created the weapons, and with one push of a button you could easily deactivate any of your commissions. Villains were such gullible people. Did they honestly think you would create a weapon of mass destruction so they could eradicate your source of income? Customer satisfaction was important of course. However, it ranked second to your first love: money.

“The delivery address is in the schematics I’ve sent over. Complete this project by the beginning of next week and then we can discuss... more _rewarding_ tasks.”

With that the video call was ended, and the mysterious man disappeared. It was early into the morning, and you were a far cry from sleeping now. With the prospects of a large haul in your near future, how could you possibly think of sleeping? You wanted nothing more than to quickly start on that new commission. With all the petty villains in jail, your income had dwindled severely. Needless to say, you had time to spare. 

But first you carefully scanned through your computer files. You trusted this man as far as you could throw him. Villains liked to view people like pawns, and you were sure that he thought of you as an important piece to his game of chess. Like many power hungry villains, you wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted to keep a close eye on you.

Coming across a ghost file, you smirked. This was the little worm he had sent over with the schematic files. Opening it, you found numerous hacker codes that connected your laptop to his computer. This made every file you had and every movement you made visible to him. With a quick link to another computer in the city, you sent his little spy over to another unfortunate soul. Let him suck on that for a while. You were not a piece of property, and you wouldn’t stand for his compulsion for control. Did he think you were stupid enough to leave yourself open for attack? 

It didn't matter who he was, or where he came from. If he wanted to use your technology then he would have to play by your rules. He was in _your_ home turf now.


	7. The Egoist

“—but we were able to get away thanks to Aqualad.”

“I’m sorry, what was that?” You questioned, pulling the ear plugs away. You shut off the welding tool, and turned to the waiting hero. 

“I was telling you about—“ 

“A pretty boy in tights who can talk to fish, right.” Leaning your head on your hand you gave him a curious glance. Pretty boys in tights seemed to be a reoccurring thing in your condo lately. Not that you were happy about it. ~~Although, he was something nice to look at from time to time.~~

“Should you really be talking about your heroic endeavours with your weapons dealer?” 

“I figured that if you knew about who we fight against, it would help you adjust my weapons for future fights.”

Right, and you were the Queen of England. If you believed every excuse someone tried to sell you, you would have found yourself broke living in an alley somewhere. He just got bored watching you work on your latest commission and decided to make idle prattle. Why he talked to you about what he did in his everyday life was a mystery. Majority of your customers liked their privacy, and you preferred it that way. However, his story _was_ rather interesting—even if you tuned out half of it. Since you sectioned yourself off in your workshop most of the time, you missed a lot of the epic battles between good and evil.

It was well into the night now, and although you didn’t have much on your plate, you were a bit bothered with his presence. You didn’t understand why he insisted on following you down to your workshop. He would not take “no” for an answer, and threatened to blackmail you with his popularity again. You were starting to think he was going to use his popularity to get whatever he wanted from you. 

“I’m assuming you didn’t insist on following me down here just to talk about your personal life. So what have you actually come here for?” He broke from his emotionless front, as if he remembered something important.

“I have some new weapon prototypes I want you to look at.” From his bag on the floor, he pulled three bulky looking contraptions and placed them on your work table. Taking a place beside you, he introduced them as new types of projectile weapons.

“Each one is different,” he began. “This one here is a sticky projectile that can stop a raging elephant in its tracks. This one wraps around the enemy to restrict the use of their limbs, and this one produces sharp blades.” 

However, when the hero used them, they utterly failed. The sticky, trap-like projectile dissolved in water, and gave off a putrid odor. The wrapping projectile didn’t even work, and the sharp object nearly took off your head because something snapped and the blade came rushing in the wrong direction. 

In matter of minutes your workshop went from perfectly functional to a huge mess. Allowing him into your inner sanctum was obviously a horrible idea. After glancing at the green residue left over from one of the projectiles and the clock that fell to the floor after bring sliced in half, you gave a heavy sigh. Turning to give a dull look at the teen, a tense silence filled the room. 

“I can pay for that,” he quickly interjected.

Giving another sigh you rubbed your temple. Obviously chemistry and mechanics weren’t exactly his strong point. His concepts were always fascinating and easy to create, but he could never make them come to life. His forte was crime fighting after all.

Raising a hand to silence his pitiable babbling of excuses and apologies, you stashed your current commission away. 

“You’re just using the wrong chemical elements.” Turning towards your closest wall, you moved over to a key pad and pressed in a code. With an approving beep, a small square section of the wall pushed out, releasing cold air as it escaped. This section of your workshop was laced with many compartments within the wall. You collected so many elements, mineral ores and chemicals that you needed to stored them away from your commissions. Your wall was a controlled environment that shielded your collection from any extreme changes your workshop went through during your commissions. Some pieces in your collection were extremely sensitive to sound, temperature, and other elements, so you were extremely careful when handling them. 

Striding over to the open compartment, you pulled out the contents. Inside was a cylindrical, glass canister filled to the brim with a bright crimson liquid. Turning to the teen, you held it up for him to see. 

His face almost turned blue as if he stopped breathing. Raising a shaking hand, he pointed to the canister.

“Is..Is that?”

You grinned at his reaction. It was perfectly normal you supposed. This chemical was known for being positively volatile. It was very unstable and could potentially explode in your hand. 

“Yes , hero. This is what I like to call ‘star in a bottle’”. You shook the container lightly, and grinned ear to ear when he jumped back in fear.

“What are you trying to do? _Kill_ us?!” You gave a laugh. Funny words coming from the guy who unleashed a blade projectile he couldn’t control. 

“That’s Xenothium! It’s highly unstable!”

You rolled your eyes, and tossed the canister at him- of which he caught ungracefully. He was such a stick in the mud sometimes. 

Xenothium was one of the only chemical compounds that wasn’t radioactive but was just as destructive. Its molecules were unstable in such a way that it created massive amounts of energy just by breaking down. You often used it to power the androids your customers would ask for. It was expensive, but a little went a long way. Many people don’t understand how to keep Xenothium, and that was where the fear came from. When handled properly, the chemical can be a strong asset to any technological break-through. Then, when combined with other chemicals, it became one of the most malleable objects to work with. It could become strong like steal, or sticky like glue. It was such a fascinating and valuable chemical. If you could, you would make a whole suit from the stuff. But Xenothium was illegal within the city and probably the country. The stupid laws made the chemical expensive and rare to come by. 

Picking up a stool, you moved back to the work table placing beside your own. Taking a seat, you pat the empty one beside you, ushering the teen to follow.

“Pop a squat, hero. “ You grinned at his petrified expression. “Let’s teach you a little something about chemistry.” 

****

.x[X]x.

When you were finished tweaking with the prototypes, you had managed to change the whole concept of the weapons. Instead of three separate weapons, you had combined them all into one. You were able to create all the effects he wanted, just into a manageable size. You combined the technology with a pair of black gauntlets left over from a previous project. The palms of the gauntlets were decorated with a crimson ‘X’ where the projectiles were expelled. Consequently, all the projectiles came out in an ‘X’ like fashion because of it. However, you found that the gauntlets were required to be stabilized by a constant power source. So to compensate, you had to keep the gauntlets attached to a Xenothium power core.

“This is great!” The hero praised, releasing the slime projectile. He had tested each new weapon. 

Turning to you he smiled in approval. “Everything works properly. The only thing that gets in the way is the power core,” he replaced the gauntlets for his own. “Would you be able to create a belt to keep it in place?”

“Yeah, I could do that.” Nodding in agreement, you typed a small reminder into your laptop. 

A sharp ringing cut the quiet atmosphere of your workshop. The hero answered his call—a yellow communicator in hand. You didn’t pay much attention to his conversation. It probably had something to do with another troublemaker running around in the city. The hero didn’t look too concerned about it, but regardless or the urgency, it was his job to see to it. Shutting his communicator, the boy wonder sighed. 

“Work calls,” you smirked at his unimpressed look. 

“Yeah, but nothing we can’t handle.” Fetching out his wallet, he counted the bills inside. “How much do I owe you?”

You turned your attention to your laptop, waving him off. “It’s not done yet. You don’t owe me anything right now.” 

He quirked a brow, a smirk playing at his lips. 

You gave him a wary look, “What?”

“I never thought I’d see the day you would actually refuse money.” You could have sworn his smirk grew ever so slightly. “I think you’re starting to warm up to me.” 

You rolled your eyes at his egotism. “I said you didn't need to pay me right _now_. I'm not warming up to anything.”

He didn’t move, he just looked at you with amusement. 

You glared at the boy. “Shouldn’t you be out arresting someone?”

"Whatever you say." He turned towards the exit, waving as he went off. His smirk never faded. “Goodnight, Mecha.” 

You only huffed as he disappeared into the stairwell. He could be a real egotistical bastard sometimes.


	8. The Virgin

Roaming through a suburban area late at night, you silently drifted down the empty road on your beautiful new hover board. It made little noise as you eyed the area for a certain specific thing that would get you home. 

 

Spying a shiny silver light pole, you grinned. Quickly swerving the board, you came up beside the light post and laid your hand up against it. With a quiet approving beep, the unseen technology was triggered and the road began to sink lower into the ground until a ramp entrance to your secret tunnel was revealed. Kicking your board into high gear, you sped down the ramp into the hidden road with the entrance closing up behind you. 

 

This was what you used to get in and out of your condominium when commissions were too large to get through the front door. It never hurt to have an emergency exit handy in case a commission went wrong, or you needed to make a quick getaway. A smart person had a back-up plan, but a genius always had an escape route.

 

The population that occupied the suburbs was the typical middle class that worked from nine to five and slept early every day. They took vacations during the winter and summer, and focused so much on every aspect of their lives that they barely paid attention to what was going on across the street let alone what was going on beneath it. They had all assumed that the construction going on beneath them was due to the government doing some pipe restorations. You had to love the gullible, they made your life only that much easier.

 

On the other hand, the downtown area where your condo resided was always filled to the brim with people. Wealthy businessmen and women ruled the streets during the day, but during the night the party goers flooded the streets until dawn. Then the cycle would repeat itself every day, save for some exceptions during the year. Needless to say it was a hassle to get in and out of your condo without attracting any attention, especially when you had such avid Super Hero fans that were always present. Hero fans were everywhere and one of the biggest problems you had run into when you first moved to Jump city. When you first started out your business, a run in with a diehard fan almost landed you behind bars. If just one of them saw you carrying a proton laser into your home you were sure you would get a one way ticket to Jump city jail.

 

The tunnel lights passed you quickly as you sped towards your home. You wanted nothing more than to lie on your over sized bed. After delivering that android to the new Super Villain in town, you found it only appropriate that you treated yourself to some well-earned sleep. The weight of the silver case you carried at your side only further motivated a faster journey.

 

Mr. Super Villain was generous, generous indeed. Your briefcase was filled to the brim with unmarked fifty dollar bills. After factoring the amount of money it cost you to make the android, you still managed to make quite a sum of cash. He had promised you cold hard cash, and boy did he hold his end of the deal. He provided you with much more than you had expected. Not that you were complaining. 

 

His android was a compilation of many expensive technologies. Rocket thrusters, a laser gun, internal global positioning system, artificial intelligence, Xenothium power core, and a wireless video connection were only some of the things included in this one project. None of these components were particularly hard to put together; in fact, most of them were already made in your workshop waiting to be utilized. Compiling them into one working android was a walk in the park.

 

Up ahead of you, the soft blue light of your workshop signaled that your destination was close. Slowing your speed, you passed through the tunnel exit finding yourself back in your workshop. Rearing your board, you brought it to a complete stop before you ran into anything expensive. Even though you had more than enough funds to replace your tools, you didn’t want to go out and buy new ones. It would be a waste of perfectly good money. 

 

Getting off the board was the tricky part; carefully kneeling on the board, you pushed the off button. You didn't quite have the coordination to get on or off the contraption in a proper manner, so you had resulted in waiting until the board was fully on the ground before stepping off it. Goodness knows you had bruised your rear end from falling off the vehicle many times before. It was definitely different from your bike.

 

Sauntering over to your workbench, you did a quick count of the bills again, and ran them under an ultra violet light to make sure they weren't counterfeit. Luckily for you they were the real deal. That saved you the hassle of implementing the self-destruct module you planted on his perfectly functional machine. 

 

Tossing the new funds into your vault for safe keeping, you closed up the tunnel entrance to your workshop and made your way up to the main floor. All that was left was to wash up and head to bed.

 

Mmm, sleep.

 

Sleeping in a large bed.

 

Sleeping in a large bed with money in your vault, what else could a girl like you ask for?

 

Passing through the living room area, you began to undress leaving the clothing items where they fell. First your goggles, then your boots, and soon your jumpsuit to follow until you were left in your white t-shirt and boy shorts. Clothes littered the floor, but that did little to bother you. Other things were on your mind, like sleep for instance. Continuing on what seemed to be an obnoxiously long journey to your bed, all you could think about was how great it would feel to finally spend a night in something specifically designed for sleeping. Too often had you passed out on your couch or workbench.

 

“Mmmm~” A light groan made you stop in your tracks. Turning to your dark living room, you flicked on the lights. A place which you had assumed to be empty was, in fact, the opposite. There on your couch sat a disgruntled hero. His hair was disheveled, and he rubbed his masked eyes as if just waking from a long slumber. He looked just like a lonely puppy. Had he fallen asleep while waiting for your return? 

Cute.

 

A bit disoriented, he looked around the room until his eyes fell on you and your underwear clad form. Regardless of how tired he was before, he was definitely awake now. His face lit up with hues of red, and he jumped to his feet in alarm. Turning his back to you, he raised his arms up in surrender.

 

“Sorry! I didn't know you were- I mean this isn't what it looks like, I-"

 

You rolled your eyes. This was funny coming from the guy who had two girls on his team who wore much more revealing clothing. One girl wore a black leotard and the other wore a mini skirt and crop top. Their style choices left little to the imagination, and they roomed with three adolescent boys. You would think the hero could handle just a little bit of skin.

 

"What are you doing here?"

 

"I wanted to see how the Xenothium gauntlets were coming along, but you weren't here. I was waiting for you to come back and I must have fallen asleep."

 

Well at least he was honest. 

 

Sighing lightly, you gave in. Your conscience wouldn't allow you to send him home after he waited for so long. He was a loyal customer. Despite being a pain in the ass, you would help him to the best of your ability.

 

"Alright, come on then." Looks like sleep was going to have to wait just a little longer. 

 

He turned to face you, but quickly returned to his original position. What was wrong now? 

 

"Could you, uhm... Put some pants on?" 

 

Looking down, you didn't see a problem with your clothing. Everything that needed to be covered was covered. Picking up your jump suit, you began to redress. Were all heroes this virginal?


	9. The Anti-hero

Your front door slammed open, the door knob leaving a dent in the wall where it hit. The impact was powerful enough to rattle the floor of your condo. Oh, who in the world could that be?

 

"Mecha!"

 

You rolled over in your bed trying to block out the sound of the voice that called you. The lush blankets enveloped you in a warm sea of comfort. You hadn't had a customer in days and you weren't in the mood to deal with him. You were perfectly comfortable with the idea of staying in bed. Just because he knew where you lived didn't mean you gave him the green light to waltz in whenever he liked. How did he get in anyway? Last time you checked, you didn't present him with a spare key.

 

" _Mecha!_ "

 

Pulling an ivory pillow over your face, you attempted to smother the sound. Why couldn't he just leave you be? He didn't trust the Xenothium core, and didn't feel comfortable with paying for it until he was sure it was safe. He hadn't needed weapon repair lately, so what he was doing here was a mystery to you. If he wasn't going to be a paying customer, what else did you need him for?

 

"Mecha, come on! I need your help!"

 

Quite frankly, a lot of people want your help, but they didn't always have the funds to back it up. You couldn't waste your time with useless, petty people who didn't have the wallets to back up their requests. 

 

The teen must have deliberated his options because after a moment of silence, the next words out of his mouth sounded out of sheer desperation.

 

"I'll double any amount you charge me!" 

 

He didn't need to tell you twice. Jumping out of your comforters, you pulled on a pair of pants and all but ran out of your bedroom. He stood rather impatiently. 

 

"At your service, hero." You gave a mock bow at the waist.

 

"How long will it take you to make a new uniform?"

 

You quirked a brow and looked him up and down. His suit looked well intact. Why would he need another one?

 

"Well, I think I have enough titanium left for a cape, but the only high polymer cloth I have left is-"

 

"I need you to make me this." 

 

Out from beneath his sleeve, he pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper. Taking it from him, you opened it, and inside was a pleasant surprise. He had sketched out a sleek new costume that looked the complete opposite of his current clean image. It was dark, it was villainous, and it was bland. It was the typical type of suit you would expect the teen hero to use while undercover. 

 

Going through all the options, you quickly summed up the amount of material and time it would take you to make it. Piece by piece the suit was coming alive in your mind. If you paired it with the Xenothium gauntlets, it would take care of the weapon problem. You had some extra black polymer cloth and a torn titanium cape. Colour wasn't a problem because, assuming he was aiming for the villain look, black was all that was going to be utilized. He would need padded soles for silent infiltration, a mask to hide his identity, and a voice distorter to ensure he didn't get caught. It wasn't hard, it would just take time.

 

“Well, if I started right now, I could finish by tomorrow morning." 

 

"Good." The teen turned back towards the door, about to leave.

 

"Woahh there. Where do you think you're going?" You caught him by the collar of his cape, keeping him in place.

 

"Well, uh-"

 

"I'm not exactly a seamstress and I don't know your dimensions. So~ to ensure I specify this suit for your shape, you need to stick around." It would also give you a reason to ogle his figure. 

 

****

.x[X]x.

"So, why do you need something like this?" You questioned, while wiring the voice distorter into the metal mask. "Last time I checked, you're supposed to be the hero. Unless, you’re going for the badass look. That’s cool too.”

 

The teen stood rigidly against the wall of your workshop waiting for you to finish. He was now wearing a black cat suit. A black and silver titanium cape adorned his shoulders, paired with silver Xenothium gauntlets and belt.

 

The hero frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked puzzled as if this was his last resort. It was a different side you hadn’t seen before."A person showed up in Jump city calling himself Slade. He seems to be the master mind behind some attempted thefts lately, but he's managed to evade us." 

 

You flipped the mask over to inspect your work as you listened to his story. It was a black mask that had special reinforced polymer that would be used to pull over his head to hide his hair and keep the mask on his face. On the front of the mask was a white skull. It was still so boring. 

 

"Ah, and you're using this as costume as an undercover thing." You mumbled, coming to the conclusion. 

 

He nodded. 

 

Looking up from your workbench, you tossed the mask to him. 

 

"What are you going to call yourself?" 

 

Slipping on the mask, he stood before you in uncertainty. “Uh, I don't know." Turning to his reflection against your burner, he inspected your handiwork. "Skull? Yeah! Skull sounds good." 

 

At least the voice distorter was working properly because his plan was transparent. Even you knew that name sounded sketchy. If this Slade was a mastermind, he wasn't going to be fooled by a nice costume with a name like "Skull" as his false identity. No up in coming villain called themselves "Skull" unless they were a naive undercover hero looking to get caught, and you couldn't let one of your most reoccurring customers to go down like that.

 

From underneath your workbench, you picked up a can of spray paint and a stencil. He was going to need some help on this one. 

 

Strutting over to the boy, you tapped his shoulder.

 

Turning to you, you smacked the stencil atop his face and began to spray.

 

"Wh-what are you doing?" Peeling the stencil away, you pressed it against his chest and repeated the process. 

 

"I am giving you a believable identity. No villain wants to sound _good_." 

 

Once you were happy with your work, you placed your hands on his shoulders and spun him back to his reflection. His mask and suit were now adorned with asymmetrical crimson X’s that complimented the ones on the back of his hands. With this, he wasn't just a cardboard cut out wannabe. He looked legit. 

 

"Forget Skull. Now you're Red X, a talented thief with the skills to steal anything in Jump city." Patting the teen on the back, you gave him a toothy grin through the reflection on the burner. "Congratulations, hero! You’ve officially become part of the dark side."

 

In this suit, he looked taller and more masculine. His voice was smooth, mysterious and absolutely sexy. This was a darker side of the hero, and you kind of liked it. His goody-two-shoes side was cute, but you liked a man who was a bit of a rebel, and he had so much potential for being a bad ass. But as much as you loved to ogle the teen, you loved money more. 

 

“So where’s my cut?”


	10. The Drinker

You sat in your living room, alone and silent, looking over the schematics spread out on the coffee table in front of you. The sun had set long ago leaving your condo dark, save the lamp that illuminated your living room. Leaning back against the couch, you gave a sigh. How were you going to complete this on time? 

 

You had managed to lure in the reigning super villain of Jump city, and because of him, all the small fry have gone into hiding taking their wallets with them. This meant you no longer had a stable flow of income; you only had the battling hero and super villain to cater to. The good thing? You had fewer projects to work on for a large pay out. The bad thing? The commissions were so complicated that you were working just as hard to make them work. Between the Red X suit, the up keep of the hero’s weapons, and the commissions from the super villain, you almost found yourself working harder than usual. Their requests were complex and, even though you liked a challenge, these new projects were a bit much. 

 

Three different schematics sat on the table awaiting your hand. After the first commission, Mr. Super Villain must have taken to your work because he had sent over new   
projects for completion. He requested three things: a chronoton detonator, an army of nano bots and a nano bot laser complete with remote control. Any one of these projects took over a year to create properly, but he wanted all three in a month’s time. It was typical super villain behaviour really, but that didn’t make it less annoying. 

 

You didn't even consider rejecting these commissions. You needed the money. You _wanted_ the money. But all your calculations pointed you to running out of time. How were you going to pull this off? 

 

"What's that?" 

 

Your heart gave a jolt. Jumping from the couch, you whirled around pulling a small device from your pocket and activated it with the push of a button. With numerous clicks of metal, your defensive system was armed. All the lights in your condo lit the place brightly leaving no dark corner to hide in. The fire arms hidden within the walls of your living room came out to play and targeted the intruder using their heat seeking lasers. 

 

" _Defense System activated. Target locked._ "

 

Holding a hand over your chest, you heaved panicked breaths. This boy was going to give you a heart attack if he wasn't careful!

 

Before you, the hero stood wide eyed and confused. His hands were up in the air, his body was stiff; he didn't dare move. Dozens of lasers were locked onto his body awaiting your command to unleash hundreds of smouldering lead pellets.

 

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that," you grumbled between shaking breaths. Turning, you addressed the defense system, "Deactivate system, false alarm." 

 

" _Flase alarm recognized. Deactivating system now._ " The voice answered. Within seconds, the lasers disappeared, and the numerous guns that had taken aim went back into hiding.

 

The teen relaxed, his arms falling to his sides. "That's a lot of fire power you've got there," he mentions a bit apprehensively. He didn't seem bothered in the least over what had just happened, and if he was, he didn't show it. 

 

Before he could sneak another look at the blue prints, you collected them and slipped them into your jump suit for safe keeping. Wouldn't want the hero to see any more than he already has.

 

"It's just a precaution, really. Never had to use it."

 

The teen laughed nervously. "Remind me to never get on your bad side." The boy wonder wandered around the living room before situating himself on the couch. His body sunk into the cushions with a tired sigh. He tilted his head all the way back until it rested against the back of your couch. Although he didn’t look injured, his body language said he was fatigued. You didn’t see the hero in this state often. 

 

“You don’t look so hot.”

 

Giving you a quick side glance over, he gave a tired chuckle. “You’re one to talk. You don’t look much better.”

 

“Yeah, well.” You took a seat beside him combing your fingers through your hair. “It takes a lot of work to look this good.” More like it takes a lot of work to feel like crap. Your hair was frazzled in different directions and free from the sloppy bun you normally had it in. Dull circles hung under your eyes making you look like you suffered from a severe case of insomnia. It wasn’t a flattering look. But it seemed that you weren’t the only one feeling less than adequate today. “So why are you-“

 

“I just need a little down time, if you don’t mind.” He didn’t move from his seat, and in a way it was rather concerning. From his slightly furrowed brow and deep breaths, it was easy to tell that he wasn’t at ease. Whether it was due to his job or his house mates, the hero was at battle with himself. He needed to get his mind off of whatever was bothering him. Maybe you had just the remedy.

 

“Well if you’re going to camp out here for a while, try and make yourself useful. Why don’t you do us both a favour and order a pizza?” Taking out your cell phone, you tossed it to the teen before getting up and making your way to the kitchen. Opening your fridge, you pulled out a case that you kept for an occasion like this. Returning to the living room with a bounce in your step, you were met with a skeptical look from the hero. 

 

“What is that?”

 

“Just a little something to take our minds off things.” Placing the case of beer on the coffee table, you resumed your seat. Nothing like a good bit of alcohol to make all the stress go away. Eagerly ripping into the cardboard container, you retrieved two bottles. Opening one bottle, you slid it to the teen beside you before opening one for yourself. A familiar tingle made you hum in contentment after a swig of alcohol. The bitter after taste of yeast had your taste buds dancing. The tension was starting to release. 

 

The teen glanced at the bottle, then back at you. “Drinking isn’t exactly-”

 

“Legal? I know. Neither is manufacturing weapons without a licence, but as you can see, it hasn’t really stopped me.” Taking another swig of the alcohol, you gave the teen an unimpressed look. “Besides, in this country teens like us can enroll in the army before we can drink alcohol. Excuse me if I don’t put my faith in politics.” 

 

“Well-...Good point...” Taking the bottle experimentally, he gave it a sniff. Swallowing hard he shuts his eyes and takes a leap of faith. Ingesting a large gulp, he coughed before heaving a harsh “Aghh~!” His face, twisted in distaste, tinted pink. 

 

Grinning from ear to ear, you pat him on the back. “Atta boy!” 

 

This was going to be interesting.

 

****

.x[X]x.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Answering the door, you were met with a scrawny looking pizza boy.

“Uhm...I’m looking for,” he looked down at the receipt before looking back at you, “Mecha?”

“Yup that’s me!” Pulling out a couple of bills from your pocket, you took the pizza and handed him the money. “Keep the change.” Before you could close the door on the teen, low moans from the couch became within ear shot. 

 

“Mmmm~ _Please!_ Mecha, I can’t stand it!” The hero called to you from his seat.

“Coming, Honey~”

The pizza boy turned to you, his cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment. His eyes were wide as they darted from the moaning mop of hair that peeked over the top of the couch and back to you. Any words that came to mind fell away when they reached his lips making him look like a gaping fish. Giving him a mischievous smirk and a wink, you brought a finger to your lips. That’ll give him something to talk about when he gets back to the pizza place.

Turning back to the hero, you shut the door making sure to lock it behind you. The hero was draped over your couch with as much grace as a rhino. His face was flushed pink as he gripped his abdomen in one hand, and an empty bottle in the other.

“I warned you that drinking without eating isn’t the smartest thing to do.”

“Ugh~ I think I’m going to be sick.”

Boy was he going to be a mess in the morning.


	11. The Manipulator

"You want me to _what?_ " Glancing up at the teen, you gave him an incredulous look. You heard his request fine the first time but a double take couldn't be helped; it was just so outrageous. Perhaps the friendly drinking session the last time he visited was a lapse in judgement on your part. Had you known he'd be requesting favors the next time you met him, you would have left him alone in his misery.

"I need you to help me with a heist." The boy wonder stood stoic against the wall of your workshop. His body language exuded his persistence. "Listen, I can't pull this off by myself. Slade will get suspicious when the Titans show up to stop Red X and I'm not with them."

Rolling your eyes, you returned to your work. "It's not going to happen. I have work to do, and I'm on a schedule." You had to manually build and program two nano bots before you could even think about starting another project. As easy as it sounded, it was a real pain starting from scratch. Nano bot technology was hard to start but easy to grow. Once you made enough by hand you could program them to build the rest of the minuscule army. Starting was always the hard part. "You're the leader of a group of smart, crime fighting, super heroes. Creating a hologram won't be too difficult." 

When he didn't answer, curiosity got the best of you, and you snuck another glance in his direction. His brow was creased and his jaw clenched. The hero didn't look up; instead he stared at the floor so intensely that you swore it would leave scorch marks. It was the same troubled look he had when he came in the week before.

"You don't trust your friends enough with this project?"

" **Don't.** " His voiced rose against you, taking you aback. Well that seemed to be touchy subject. Startled by his own rashness, he recoiled and turned away. After a short pause he tried again, this time softer than before. "It's not that I don’t trust them...It's just, the more people who are involved in this, the bigger the chance Slade is going to escape and I can't let it happen again.” That sounded like denial to you, but there was nothing you could do or say. His mind was already made up, and you knew you were another piece he needed to complete the puzzle. 

Ignoring his little outburst, you humored the teen. You would put up with his attitude for now. If he was acting out and losing his cool, then this ordeal must have been hard on him, but you wouldn't tolerate it if he tried walking all over you. You had seen someone of good nature get stomped on by the people he trusted, and it didn’t turn out well. When you entered this line of work, you vowed to not be taken advantage of like he did. History wasn’t going to repeat itself this time. Now you were still a weapons dealer, dealing to both sides of the spectrum, and you couldn't afford risking your business with emotionally unstable characters popping in and out of your workshop at their leisure. 

"And you're relying on me because I'm the only one you trust with enough technological experience who can't be traced back to you or the other Titans." 

"Exactly." 

"Well in that case. I'm **busy**." 

"What if I said I would pay you for your time?" Your brow furrowed at his preposition. That was a bit insulting. He made it sound like you could be bought like some common street walker. As much as you loved cash, selling yourself was not in your job description, and he was sorely mistaken if he thought he could manipulate you so easily.

"Listen, Hero. Customers are first come first serve here, and I have a prior commitment. You're just gonna have to take a back seat on this one." You gave the hero a firm look. "Don't get me wrong, I like your money and all that, but a girl has to have rules to live by. I'm on my own out here. If I'm not careful, this business won’t hesitate to chew me up and spit me out. You know what I mean?"

Robin went quiet again, and seemed to mull something over in his mind. "Well, I guess it can't be helped."

You gave him a somewhat apologetic smile. "Glad to know we're on the same page." 

 

****

.x[X]x.

"We were _not_ on the same page," you growled.

The teen ignored you. Instead, he pointed to a dark lit street. "Turn left over there."

Aggressively riding on your hover board, you shied away from the street lights and stayed within the shadows. You were somewhere in the technology district of Jump City following the tracks of the Teen Titans (minus the boy wonder seeing as he is riding with you). As much as you wanted to stay out of this situation, you had to fold when he threatened to sit outside your condominium and tell all those who passed by that his girlfriend had kicked him out for forgetting their anniversary. The "girlfriend" being you. Was this the cruel reward for having morals?

"I can't believe you played that card! I should have moved out the day you showed up at my condo."

"I’m sorry, okay! But you weren’t going to agree any other way. What was I supposed to do?"He argues from behind you, his hold on your abdomen kept him from flying off the board. As attractive as you found him when he was dressed in his Red X uniform, you weren't too happy with him right now. Even with his skin tight uniform. "Get on the roof; we'll need to get to higher ground for this to work.”

"Crouch low and hold onto me," you commanded. He did so, taking a firmer hold of your waist from behind. Bending low, you gripped the front of the board with a hand as you began to gain speed, heading straight for the wall. The rear thrusters kicked into high gear, giving just enough juice to maneuver the board vertical and travel up the side of the building. Despite the low center of gravity you achieved by getting close to the hover board, the weight that pulled you down was almost painful. The hero switched his grip to hold an arm around you as his other hand gripped the side of the board. The weight against your abdomen made it difficult to breathe. Barely making it over the roof, the board flipped right side up, and the strain on your body lessened. Turning the power off, the teen behind you released his hold and stepped away. 

Turning to him you glared. “You-!" You cut yourself off, holding up a finger in the air as you gulped air greedily. You weren’t done with him yet, but your lungs burned for oxygen. Heaving a few gasping breaths, you glared at the boy in black. "Blackmail is a low blow!" You hissed under your breath just enough for him to hear.

He raised his hand up to shush you and pointed to the next empty lot over. Well, you had thought it to be empty until you heard the voices discussing amongst themselves. ~~Robin~~ Red X signaled you to take position crouching low to the rooftop while he readied himself for a run. Taking the holographic projector from your bag, you set it up quickly and aimed it towards the masked teen beside you. To make this believable, the hologram needed to move, which was why the projector pivoted like a light beam. And like a light beam, it needed someone to work it from the sideline. This was where you came in. There wasn't much footage, so turning it on at the right moment was crucial to pulling this off. If one this went wrong, the Titans would know something was up and his cover would be blown.

The teen held up a gloved hand and started a countdown with his fingers. 

 

3...

 

2...

 

1...

The teen leapt off the roof top landing gracefully on the ground in front of his friends and booked it like his life depended on it. "Robin" was hot on his heels. You swiveled the hologram in time with the teen, making sure to pull it back when Red X cast his net at the holographic hero.

_"I'm fine! Get X! Go!"_ The hologram ushered to the bewildered team watching. Without another word, the four Titans ran after the illusive thief as he would lead them to the empty subway where cameras could catch every move. 

"Robin" sat frozen underneath the red web of Xenothium netting. His arm still stretched out in the direction where the group of teen heroes disappeared to and his eyes still wide with surprise. If you didn't know any better, you probably would have been fooled yourself by that performance.

Raising a shaking hand to your chest, you fell onto your behind in exhaustion. The adrenaline had come so quickly that your body didn’t have enough time to prepare itself. The thumping in your chest was almost painful, booming like thunder in your ears. Your quivering hands did little to help aid your aching eyes. Your pupils had dilated so fast that the world became a lot smaller than it was before. Taking a shaking breath, you steadied yourself. If this was the adrenaline you got from working behind the scenes, you could just imagine what it felt like to fight crime. The feeling must have been positively euphoric. No wonder the hero loved his job so much. Too bad you weren't built for this kind of work. You were most likely going to suffer from a panic attack if your body produced anymore adrenaline. 

Peeking between your fingers at the flickering hologram below, your world seemed to broaden again. If this hero thing didn't work out for the masked teen, he could always go into acting. He had the looks, the money, the fan base, and the talent. Hell, he could call himself the Prince of Egypt and people would probably buy it.


	12. The Instigator

It was unbearably hot within the confines of your workshop again. But this time you couldn't tell if it was due to your welding torch or the stress your felt. Not that you could think much on the topic, there were other pressing matters to take care of. You had finished the nano technology and the laser along with it, but the chronoton detonator was giving you horrible trouble. The wires wouldn't fit, the foundation kept falling apart, and the chromium core wasn't spinning fast enough to generate the required amount of power- Ugh! Nothing was going right.

Sparks flew in all directions as you tried to rectify the problems, but with the drop off time being today, you were starting to sweat. Time was running out quicker than you anticipated. Shallow burns marred the flesh of your hands. You had burnt through your gloves so many times that your hands needed to be wrapped in layers of bandages. 

Numerous times you had urged yourself to finish this; you pushed yourself to achieve the impossible. Finishing the nano technology on time was a miracle in itself, but Murphy's Law seemed to have it out for you when it came to this last one. If anything can go wrong, it will. And it did. Glancing at the clock, you grit your teeth in aggravation. You only had a few hours left until the delivery, and you were still far from completion. You really dug your grave this time. 

Shutting off the welding torch, you dropped it on ground and inspected your work. You barely managed to weld the container together, and only God knew how long that would last. Flipping the protective mask up, you delicately peeled the gloves from your hands hissing as the material agitated the fresh wounds. The once white bandages were now burnt and bloodstained. This was not a new ordeal with you, but this was the most wounds you had incurred at one time. The wounds were shallow and more irritating than anything, but you'd have to live with it for now- making a mental note to change the dressing once this was all finished. 

A ringing from your laptop caught your attention. There was only one person that could be. Shielding your face again, you answered the incessant call to be greeted with the masked villain on the other side.

"I expect everything is progressing smoothly."

"Actually," you seethed through a clenched jaw. “I’ve run into a snag." Balling your fists, you glared at the machine that taunted you. "The chronoton detonator won’t be in working condition for the meet up."

Instead of the normal furious and demanding reaction you had expected, the man only hummed in thought. You would have rather had the demanding villain. At least then you could read him. 

"As long as the detonator looks to be in working condition, then we can go ahead as planned."

Well, that wasn't the reaction you were expecting. Frowning behind your face guard, you analyzed the man in the screen-- or at least tried to. It was hard to analyze a man who wore a mask that covered his whole face, save one eye. 

"But, that would defeat the purpose of-"

"My dear, Mecha. Let me give you a word of advice. Physical strength only wins half the battle. The other half is won mentally. Get your enemies to believe that you're a threat and they'll be eating out of the palm of your hand."

 

****

.x[X]x.

It wasn't hard for Robin to get into your apartment. As much as you prided yourself on being a technological genius, a quick jiggle of the locks using nothing but a pair of paper clips, and he was in. He expected more of a challenge from a girl like you, but then again, the police didn’t even know of your existence. What better hiding spot was there but out in the open? 

Silent footsteps infiltrated your home, the teen calling out for you as he entered. In his search for Slade, he had completely overlooked a lead that was so painfully obvious. 

You. 

The boy wonder was practically kicking himself when the light bulb clicked. Why hadn't he thought of this before? He should have interrogated you before the Red X route. That whole scenario hadn't played out as well as Robin wanted. 

If there was anyone who had the dirt on the underground scene, it would be you. He knew you catered to his enemies; he wasn't naive. In tracking down illusive criminals, the easiest way to get a lead was to go straight to the manufacturer. 

The Teen Titans kept tabs on most of the weapon dealers within the city. It helped them stay a step ahead of the game, and most of the time they could stop things before they escalated. However, there were always the stray dealers that went unlicensed who managed to make Robin's life a bit more complicated. Dealers like you. Many times they were the hardest to track— and even harder to monitor— because they were always on the move, never usually staying in the same town for long. So when Robin got word that a new dealer had shown up in Jump city, he wasted no time hunting the person down. It was not easy tracking the trickling trail of information, and when he did manage to find something of use, it usually took the brain power of all the Titans to crack it. So imagine Robin's surprise when he found you at the end of a year’s worth of tracking. It wasn't every day that he saw a girl working alone in this type of business. 

When he met you for the first time, he thought it was a joke. You were much more reserved back then, and you treated Robin with enough hostility that warranted arrest. But he didn't take you in. Instead, he let you off the hook, explaining to the other Titans that he thought you useful as insight to the underground world. He insisted that regular check-ins with you would be imperative to keeping the crime rate down within the city, which was why the hero contacted you every month for weapon repairs. 

Now, perhaps it was because you earned his respect from your strength to stand alone that he let you be. Perhaps it was the conviction you spoke with that reminded the hero so much of himself when he first came to Jump city that he found himself attached. It certainly wasn't because he was worried over your wellbeing that he checked on you, and definitely not because he'd grown to enjoy your companionship that he showed up to your condo unannounced time and again. 

And as much as he hoped you weren't Slade’s dealer, as of right now, you could very well be the supplier. 

As of right now, you couldn't be trusted.

The very thought almost tore him in two. Almost.

"Mecha?" He tried again, and like the first time, his call went unanswered. The living room lights were on, but there was no sound. Were you still down in your workshop? Or maybe you were sleeping in your bed. Maybe you weren’t home at all.

Well, the teen mused in his head, it wouldn't hurt to look around a bit before leaving. The teen drifted a gloved hand deftly against the wall as he walked. If he didn't see it first hand, he never would have guessed that you hid multiple fire arms within these walls. They were so well hidden that even under a keen eye they couldn't be revealed. He had to admit, you were good at what you did. 

Your condo felt so bare. It wasn't as homely as Titan Tower was. If it weren't for the empty beer bottle on the coffee table and the bloody bandages on the floor, he never would have guessed that anyone lived here. 

Bloody bandages?

"Mmm~" A muffled moan startled the boy wonder. He jumped away from the floor, throwing his hands up instinctively to show he was disarmed. 

"Don't shoot!"

Another groan reached his ears. This one wasn't as muffled as he heard its maker shift. Cautiously, the teen slowly turned around and lowered his arms when he realized the defense system hadn’t been activated. Had you been there the whole time? 

He found you on the couch, your body curled into a loose ball, completely unmoving aside from your shallow breaths. Your hair was draped over the arm of the couch as you buried your face into the crook of your elbow. The other arm fell over your chest and off the seat. And despite your low rise pants and your exposed midriff, it was the plain white bandages falling from your hands that caught his attention. Poorly applied and sloppily tied, they did little to cover the injuries underneath. Gingerly lifting a hand up for closer inspection, he crouched beside you on the floor. Meticulously peeling the bandages off, loop after loop, he found burns that left your hand red and raw. They crisscrossed, concentrating closer to your fingers. Most were shallow, but some were deeper and thicker as if you had been stubborn and refused to stop until you either couldn't bear anymore. 

Robin almost fell onto his behind when you began to stir again. This time you had pushed yourself up into a semi-sitting position, using the couch arm as a support to keep you up. In a daze, you searched around the room through sleepy, half lidded eyes. You didn't look like yourself, the spark that you usually had was dim, and you looked as if you could tip over by the lightest breeze. 

"Mmm~ Hero?"


	13. The Instigator II

You rubbed your eyes using the back of your arm— careful to avoid your hand Robin noted— and blinked again at him with a pout. You squinted at him, as if you didn't believe your eyes, but there wasn't any skepticism like usual. It was plain curiosity. 

"What’re you doin' here?" Your voice was in a soft whisper as if you didn't want to disturb the silence in your condo.

You ignored his silence and attempted to sit up right; however, without the use if your hands and your inebriated state, it was proving rather difficult. So, with a sigh, the teen pulled you straight and steadied you until you settled. 

"Have you been drinking again?" You didn't answer him. Instead, you leaned back against the seat, a frown upon your lips. With your eyes shut, you grumbled incomprehensible words, but it was easy to see your distress. Robin didn't remember much from his last drinking endeavor, but he did remember that you held your alcohol a lot better than he did. 

Glancing at your coffee table, Robin noticed something he hadn't before. Right beside the empty beer bottle, he found a small canister of pain medication. Alcohol and medication wasn't a good combination, not that he had tried himself, but it would explain why you were acting the way you did.

"What happened? What's wrong?" He questioned. After knowing you for at least a year, this was a rather worrisome scene. The teen wasn't sure what to do.

Your bottom lip quivered slightly, and you refused to look at the teen. Draping an arm over your eyes, you mumbled under your breath. It was far too low for the teen to catch. He urged you to repeat but was only answered with more incoherent grumbles. 

Taking you by the forearms, the boy pulled them straight forward and away from you face, attracting your attention in the process. You made more disgruntled noise to show your unhappiness.

"Mecha... Mecha look at me.“ Robin gazed at you expectantly behind his mask, and after a moment of silence, you looked back. ”What happened?" He questioned you slower this time giving you longer to digest the words. 

"I couldn't," you gave a sigh, "I couldn't finish it," you sulked.

"What didn't you finish?" 

"The _commission_!" You gave the teen a heated glare with a pout on your face before lolling your head around exaggeratedly. "I couldn’t' make it! It doesn't even work! The sssshhmuck didn' give me enough _time_ to. 'nd...en then he cut my pay! The bastard. I even burnt my hands tuh make it look pretty!" 

You raised your hands in front of his face to show him. As if looking at your hands made you realize your own misfortune, unshed tears welled up in your eyes. "They hurt so~ much..." 

Robin studied you for a minute, checking to see if this was an act. But the pink on your face and your out of character behavior made him think otherwise. Standing from his kneeling position, he released you and made his way to the bathroom. 

"Hero? Are you leaving? I'm sorry... Did I do something wrong? Heeeeeroo~" 

Ignoring your calls, he rummaged through your cabinets in search of some fresh bandages and topical ointment. You were obviously in no condition to take care of yourself, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't worried. You had been smart enough to cool the burns, but now they were left irritated and untreated which could lead to infection. Not to mention how much pain you must have endured. You must have been trying to sleep it off when he found you. 

Robin blushed, pushing past boxes of feminine products before finally finding what he was looking for. Taking the half empty tube and the bandages, he returned to your side, his lips pursed grimly. Pulling your arms forward again he ignored your tearful gaze. Pulling off his gloves, he set to work repairing the damage you had caused yourself.

"So this guy jipped you?" The teen soothed the cool cream into the heated skin of your hand.

"Yeah~! The asshole. I work my butt for every penny I make, and he thinks he can just cut my pay. Imma charge him extra next time. He can kiss my butt." 

"He sounds like a real criminal." Making sure he addressed all the burns on your hand, he then wrapped it in clean bandages. All the while he refused to look you in the eye. He knew that interrogating you in this state was a rather low thing to do, but the opportunity had arisen. He wasn't about to let it slip away. 

"What did he ask for?"

Silence.

" **Don't.** " The teen winced at your risen voice. Despite being completely intoxicated, you had enunciated so well he had almost thought you sober. "Y'know my business is classified, Hero. Why d'ya gotta go there?" 

Ah. Caught already. At least he tried his hand, too bad he wasn't going to get a peep out of you. So instead, he changed the topic deciding not to test you while you were in this state.

"Sorry." 

"Let's change the topic. Hmm~ what about the, the Red X thing! Were you able to get this bad guy?"The teen looked uncomfortable, a small frown against his face.

"I'd rather not talk about it." And now it was your turn to apologize. 

"Well then~ what do ya want to talk about, hero?" You leaned into his personal space. Forehead almost touching his as you looked at him quizzically. 

"It's Robin." Finished with the first hand, he moved onto the other. He was determined to ignore your close quarters. 

You backed away, staring at him owlishly at a complete loss for words. 

"Wah?" 

Pausing in his work, the boy looked up at you. His face was in a relaxed state of seriousness. "My name. Of all the time I've known you, you never once called me by my name and I'm beginning to think you just don't know how to say it. It's Ro-bin." 

The teen chuckled at your baffled expression. 

"Relax, Mecha. It's a joke." Although, he couldn't deny that hearing you call him by his alias would have given him a sense of accomplishment. The way you called him "Hero" rubbed him the wrong way from time to time. It segregated him from your world and you from his, as if you never saw him anything other than a wallet full of money. He'd never admit it, but it stung just ever so slightly. 

Silence filled the room till he finished dressing your other hand. A bit embarrassed at his small confession about his name, he packed up the supplies, leaving them on the table before standing to take his own leave. He refused to look in your direction, feeling awkward if he did. 

"Okay, well I have to get back to Titan Tower before the others get worried. Next time I'll bring my weapons in for repair. Just don't charge so much next time, a Titan's budget isn’t as much as you think." Casually waving behind him, he made for the door, eager to leave behind the tense atmosphere. Maybe you just didn’t want him in your world, he thought. If that was what you wanted, then who was he to force his way through? 

A tug at his cape stopped him from taking another step forward.

" ** _Robin_** " 

Ba-Dump!

The teen hero could have sworn his heart skipped a beat at the sound of your voice. The sound of the blood rushing through his ears distracted him from anything else. Did he hear that right? Had you just—?

Turning back around, he found you up from the couch clutching to his cape, a light flush against your cheeks. You pursed your lips slightly, gathering up the courage, you looked up into his masked eyes. 

"I _know_ how to say it." Your grip slipped from the clothing, but you didn't move from the close proximity of the boy. Your voice was softer now, just above a whisper. "I just won't say it." 

The teen's heart sunk. He couldn't hide the disappointment from his face. He didn't know what to feel anymore. He felt happy that you finally called him by his name, but then it hurt to hear you flat out refuse to call him anything other than "Hero". 

"It puts you and me in jeopardy if I do. In this business, if I don't know your name, then it's assumed I don't know you. It's safer that way, y'know?"

"Do you have to be in this business?" His eyes searched yours in hopes to find some sort of sign that said you acknowledged his question.

"Wh-what?" You looked up at him with bright eyes. There it was. He could see the worry, the sadness, and the shock. It was easier to detect your emotions when you didn’t have your goggles on or when your concentration wasn't on your commissions. You were usually withdrawn from the teen, only ever exposing your thoughts when reprimanding him for doing something you didn't like. But when you were drunk like this, your guard was down and he could finally read you.

"Do you have to be a dealer? Wouldn't it be enough to pick a side?" Preferably his. Why were you so determined to be alone? Why couldn't you pick a side like everyone else? It would make him understand just what he was supposed to feel. If you were a villain, it would justify the slight uneasiness he felt around you. If you were a do-gooder, it would make sense as to why he sought your company.

Your arms slacked at your sides, your eyes drifting to the off with a grim expression on your face. "Someone I knew paid a steep price for picking a side." You jaw clenched, "I don't plan on going down like that. The only side I'm on is my own."

“...But if you could?”

"Hmmm...If I could..." You swayed on your feet, reminding Robin that you weren't yourself. You looked back up at the teen, his eyes entranced by your own. And for a brief moment he had forgotten where he was and who he was, only getting lost in the way that you looked at him. He hadn't even realized you had leaned against him until your arms snaked up his chest, over his shoulders, and around his neck. Your breath tickled his lips; the smell of alcohol mixed in with something sweet tickled his senses. "I think I’d side with you." 

His eyes drifted downward, a light flush against his cheeks at the close proximity. Hesitantly, he slipped his arms around your waist to steady you. His heart quickened, and his throat was dry. What was coming over him? This wasn't right, was it? How had he even gotten into this situation? His mind was frazzled with contradictions and puzzling emotions to where he couldn't think straight.

And when he spoke, it was breathy, quiet. Unusual.

"Mecha... I-"

Before he could reluctantly protest, you closed the minuscule space between the two of you, your lips brushing against his in a shy kiss. Suddenly his worries, his intentions, and his thoughts were banished from his mind. Instead they were replaced with this moment, this foreign sensation, and you. 

Letting his eyes drift closed, he relished in the instant. Gaining some confidence, he held you more firmly. His lips slowly starting to move with your own. The warmth of your body against his was wonderfully foreign, but not unpleasant. His nerves were sensitive; the kiss sending jolts of electricity running through his body making him shudder pleasantly.

But as quickly as you instigated the kiss, you had ended it just the same. Pulling away, you looked back up to the teen, a flustered grin upon your face. 

The teen stood in a dazed stupor. Licking his lips, the familiar taste of bitterness and alcohol lingered on his tongue. The euphoric tingling was slowly dying away. Already he missed the closeness, and realized how addictive the feeling was. If that was the impact of just one kiss, he couldn’t imagine what it felt like to...

Nuzzling your head against the crook of his neck, he almost jumped at your forwardness. His attention was back to you in an instant. 

"Mmm~ don’t expect that all the time. It's just a thank you for patching me up, hero." You hiccupped, pulling him closer to you and leaning forward. 

Right, you were drunk. This time tomorrow, you would be back to your normal self with no recollection of what just occurred. His hands gripped your waist a bit tighter not wanting to let go just yet. As much as he was wanted to deny it, he silently wished you wouldn't forget. Because if you remembered, at least then he wouldn't have to act like it never happened.


	14. The Two-Timer

Bone chilling water soothed every crevice of your body; no patch of skin was left unattended. Like rainfall it soaked you from your head to your feet leaving you pleasantly alert. The scent of strawberry body wash lingered within the confines of your bathroom keeping you content with its soft, feminine perfume. 

It has been weeks since you drank yourself into oblivion, vowing never to attempt something like that again. The combination of the medication and alcohol did a quite a number on your body, especially your memory. When you regained consciousness the next day, you found yourself half naked on the floor with a pounding hangover, and you couldn't recall anything but mixing the potent concoction together. After that, everything was just a horrible blur of pain and confusion. The only good thing of that whole ordeal was finding your hands treated and perfectly wrapped in bandages. How you managed that in your drunken state boggled you for days, but regardless of how it happened, at least you healed up nicely.

Trailing your fingers over the sensitive flesh of your hands, you inspected the once gruesome sight. Now your wounds were nothing but whittled scars, a minuscule fraction of what they used to be. You were sure that those burns were going to give you a lot more problems than they did. You were expecting weeks of painful sores and infection, instead you were blessed with little discomfort and quick healing. Maybe you had a guardian angel watching after you. 

Your mind drifted into thoughts of the teen hero. If anyone was a guardian angel in this forsaken city, it would probably be him. Despite his attitude problem, slight OCD, and ego, he went to great lengths to keep the city safe. The way he dedicated himself solely to a project was endearing. The way he relentlessly pursued a criminal until they were caught was admirable. The way he pursed his lips slightly when he contemplated, or the way his cheeks flushed whenever you poked fun at his expense...it was adorable.

Shaking your head, you combed your hair out of your face. Chuckling at the thought of the hero, you had to admit his efforts were commendable. Not many people could say they had that type of determination.

He definitely made your life interesting. Whether he intended to or not, he had saved you from a repetitive life of dealing with selfish villains and self righteous heroes. 

Switching the water off and pulling a towel around you, you smiled at the thought. 

Wait. No, that wasn't right. Your smile quickly turned into a frown as you silently padded your way through your home.

Robin _was_ self righteous. He was selfish too! He threatened to blackmail you on several occasions, and only came to you when he needed something like weapon repair, a new battle suit, or help with an undercover plan. He was the typical customer, only he could physically come and get you when he wanted your help. 

But then again, you were a weapons dealer. That was business, and that was all it was supposed to be. It wasn't friendship or affection of any kind. It was about the money-- your only true friend. It never threatened to end your business or asked you to work all hours of the day to complete a project. No matter how much you wanted to befriend the boy wonder... It would be best if you avoided all that. 

Yes, money was-- 

Giving a gasp, you doubled over in pain. Falling to the floor in pain, you curled into a ball. Every nerve in your body, every atom of your being felt like it was on fire! It was like you were doused with gasoline and someone lit a match. It was as if every cell in your body was slowly being torn in half. The pain seeped through your bones and ate at you from the inside out. Writhing in agony, you willed whatever this was to go away. Sweat dripped down your face as you struggled with the attack on your body; your breathing turned into strangled gasps. It hurt to breathe. Each second felt like an eternity, where you could only pray that this random attack would subside. As your muscles contracted in a failed effort to ease the agony, you couldn't even make a move to scream. If you could open your eyes, you would have seen how your skin glowed hues of red and orange like the molten rock beneath the Earth's surface. If hell existed, no doubt this was what it felt like to burn alive.

And as soon as the fire had ignited, it was put out. The absence left your muscles exhausted, all your energy spent. 

Steam rolled off your skin in waves. Your body wet with sweat. Curling your fingers experimentally, you found the pain had left, hopefully for good. Breathlessly eyeing the scars on your hand, you mindlessly mused about it. To think you thought those burns were painful. They had nothing on what you had just experienced.

Rolling on your back, you stayed on the wooden floor for who knows how long, just trying to catch your breath. The attack made your mind hazy, counteracting all the good the shower had done for you. You couldn't quite create a cohesive thought and it was frustrating. Only one question could cut through the fog.

What the hell was that?

 

****

.:x[X]x:.

Within secluded darkness, Robin ignored the panicked calls that rung from his T-communicator. The concerned voice of Starfire echoed off the concrete walls, reminding the teen of his resolve. Grinding his teeth together, he turned off the device. He wasn't doing this for Slade. He was doing this for his friends. He was saving them from the psychopath that could kill them with the press of a button. He couldn't forget that.

Slade circled the teen, eyeing him with amusement before tossing him a neatly folded bundle. [1] "It might feel bad now, but with time you'll come to embrace it," he mused and left the teen to change.

Frowning at the bundle, Robin couldn't do anything but glare. Fisting the clothing in his gloved hand, he struggled with himself. He wanted nothing more than to tear it to pieces, and he would have if there wasn't more at stake than his pride. 

Stripping himself of his green and red uniform, he unravelled the new suit he would be wearing from now on. Angrily analyzing it, he fought against the sick feeling in his stomach. It was all black, save the orange that stained half the chest, mimicking the mask of the man that taunted him. It was paired with steel toed boots and metal arm guards-- just like _him_. Finally having enough of it, he unzipped the back and threw it on. At least, he was going to had he not noticed a small mark on the inside of the collar. It was so dark he had almost missed it. 

Running his thumb over the small imprint, his brows furrowed at the center. He had seen this mark before. 

Taking out a birdarang, he turned it over and exposed the bottom. There he found the same mark that was embossed into the fabric he held-- the calling card of a certain weapons dealer he knew. Giving an angry cry, he thrust the weapon against the concrete floor and crushed it beneath his foot, breaking it in half. 

There, in the collar of the suit, was an intricately embossed "M".


	15. The Unsociable

The first time you woke, you thought you were dreaming and went back to sleep. The second time you woke, you brushed it off as being a trick of the eye and buried your face in your pillow. But you couldn't ignore it the third time when you peeked between your lashes to find an armed sonic cannon pointed at your face with a scowling teen behind it.

"Rise and shine! Hope you don't mind, but we let ourselves in." What a wonderful way to start the morning.

Slowly turning over to face the cannon, you realized there was more than one intruder in your room. In fact, there were four-- two girls and two guys-- the remaining members of the Teen Titans. They looked at you expectantly, as if you we're supposed to read their minds.

"...Are you here to arrest me?" You didn’t make eye contact with them in fear of attracting attention. “Or should I bring out the good china?” Your voice, despite your attempt at humor, was shaky, and you could feel the adrenaline accumulating through your veins again. Fight or flight was edging you to move, but they had you surrounded. There was nowhere to go.

"Please, we mean you no harm. We only wish to find Robin. We thought perhaps, you knew of his where abouts?" This time a girl spoke from the side. She was tall, with red hair and flawless orange skin. Definitely not human.

"Could've fooled me..." Gingerly raising your hands to show you weren't armed, you sat up. Your eyes never left the body of the cannon. Your nerves were on edge like that time on the roof making you feel uncomfortable. An adrenaline rush made it harder to concentrate, it scattered your thoughts. "Before I answer your question, " with shaky fingers, you eased the cannon-- which ended up being part of the teen's arm-- away from your face and to the side. “Let me ask you one of my own." 

Before the teen knew what you were up to, your hand shot up the hardened Plexiglas armor and found the release in the junction of teen's elbow. With the flick of a switch, the sonic cannon fell straight into your hands. 

"Hey! What the-!" His protests died on his lips when you pointed his weapon back at him. The owner of the cannon, Cyborg, fell back a step in surprise. His bewildered expression told you he wasn't expecting it. Being on the front lines wouldn't be so bad for you, had you not had nerves made of jello. You were practically about to have a heart attack when you pointed the weapon at the teen. 

"Haven’t you heard of knocking?! What's wrong with you?" You could deal with ludicrous customers every now and then during the exchange, but you had to draw the line when people started walking into your home to point a dangerous weapon at your face while you're sleeping. These Titans were testing your patience. 

His weapon had bullet proof glass plating that flaunted the glowing white and blue technology beneath. Typical modern Cyborg design. Thrusting the cannon further in Cyborg's direction, you stared at him wide eyed. "See! It's pretty intimidating isn't it? Imagine waking up to this!"

The three other Titans moved forward, wary of what you were going to do next. Of course you weren't the villain type, it wasn't your scene, but you weren't exactly in the best mood. Who would be when you're greeted with a cannon to the face?

The two girls balled their fists, levitating in the air to attack. The girl dressed in blue, Raven, held out her hands. 

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinth--!" Before she could finish her chant, a metal clamp caught her around the lower half of her face, pulling her harshly out of the air and slamming her back into the wall behind her. Metal bands looped out of the wall to restrain her body. Several surprised cries followed after, as the other Titans were restrained as well.

From your pant pocket, you held out a small device which you had activated seconds before. Pressing a button, you armed your defense system. With one unanimous click, dozens of fire arms took aim from the wall behind you. Their red lasers locked onto the heat signatures of the Titans. Stepping from your bed, you padded over to the Titans.

"With Boy Wonder it was barely tolerable, but now there are four more of you! It's called privacy!"

The four teens pressed themselves as close to the wall as they could, fearfully eyeing the fire power behind you. Walking up to Cyborg, you shoved the cannon back in place and twisted to lock. "God forbid I was some type of psycho," you gave a shaky sigh at their tense expressions. "Relax. If I wanted to shoot, I'd have done it by now." Ruffling your hair with your free hand, you gave a disgruntled huff. You were not a morning person, and heroes barging into your condo weren’t always pleasant. Pressing another button on your remote, the Titans were released and landed on their feet. The weapons returned to their hiding places, but their brief presence served as a reminder to the teens that this was your domain. You wouldn't tolerate the man-handling so easily.

"So...you guys hungry? I’m hungry. Let's get breakfast." Giving a yawn, you trotted out of your room, and headed for the kitchen. 

After a small pause, Beast boy turned to the others with a pout. "... Dude! I _told_ you we should've knocked!"

 

****

.xX[X]Xx.

"So, you mean to tell me," you shoved a spoon full of milk and cereal into your mouth, "Boy Wonder is missing?"

Starfire nodded adamantly from across the coffee table you all sat around. "Yes, that is correct." 

They explained to you that in the last skirmish with this "Slade" character, Robin had fought with another villain named Cinderblock while the other four Titans dealt with a bogus chronoton detonator....Oops.

But when the Titans tried to follow the trail left behind from his fight, it led to a dead end. Now the trail was cold, and the hero was nowhere to be found. That didn't sound like the Boy Wonder you knew; he wasn't one to abandon his city.

"Robin's communicator had a tracking device in it," Cyborg interjected. "But it stopped responding the day he went missing. The last known location was somewhere in the technology district. That communicator is _my_ tech. The only way that it would stop working was if it was broken, or something was blocking the frequency."

"When we ran out of clues from his last known location, we checked the history of where he's been for the past few months." Raven spoke up from her seat. "We thought that if we tracked all his frequently travelled areas, we'd find something. You're the last place we haven't searched."

"So..." Beast boy began, "Who are you anyway? Robin's super, secret, girlfriend or something?" You didn't miss the sour look Starfire sent in the green boy's direction before she spoke up giving you a bright smile.

"Yes, friend, I am Starfire!” She shook your hand in a vice like grip. “This is Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy. I am happy to meet a friend of Robin! What are you called?"

The Titans turned their attention to you curiously, and still a bit apprehensively. Despite your show earlier they let it all blow over very fast considering what happened. The friendly, expectant gazes unnerved you slightly. You weren’t quite sure what to make of them. Heroes weren’t always so pleasantly polite. You had read up their profiles the very first day you did business with Robin. Assuming that they had improved their stats since then, they would have little trouble to take you down if they wanted to, even with your defense system in place. Rubbing your nose, you huffed. You were most likely out gunned in your own home, and it unnerved you. The best course of action right now would be to humor them. Creating bad blood would only dig you into a deep hole.

"I know who you guys are. I would be living under a rock if I didn't know who the Teen Titans are." Finishing off your cereal, you gave a hearty breath of satisfaction before formally introducing yourself. Introductions hadn't crossed your mind at all during the fray. "I'm Hero Boy's weapon technician, actually. Mecha, at your service."

Cyborg slammed his hands against your coffee table, and looked at you excitedly. "You're Mecha? _The_ Mecha?! No way! I've taken a look at your work with Robin's stuff and--"

"Ahem." Raven glared at the taller teen.

“--that hover bike of yours. Your tech is crazy! It's futuristic, top notch stuff! I especially liked the transformation concept of your bike. Your thinking is pretty outta the box!"

"Cyborg..."

"How did you manage to get a plasma core to run that thing? From what I saw it took some real intricate work to put that together. You gotta come back to the tower so I can show you some of my stuff, it--"

"Dude!" Beast Boy finally got the attention of the older teen. "Sorry to interrupt your whole nerd fest, but we're totally off track here." 

"The Beast Boy is right. We are here to find Robin, not to discuss the interworkings of inanimate objects." The alien girl gave you a side glance. "I mean not to offend."

You shook your head and waved it off. No harm no foul. Not like you gave two pennies about whatever she did either. There was always a time and a place.

Raven took out her Titan communicator, intricately pressing in several commands. Turning the screen towards you, she indicates towards a red dot. "This was Robin's last known location. Does it look familiar at all?" 

You understood the implied statement here. They were searching for a name or a face, and she was trying to use you to get a lead. Guaranteed they didn’t believe you to be _just_ a weapons technician. If their fearless leader had debriefed them about you at all, then they knew you’d have the information they’d need. But for her to openly interrogate you was surprising. It seems the quiet one of the group didn't only have brains, but balls as well. Impressive.

"May I?" With a nod of her head, you leaned over the table and took the device. Looking over the map briefly, you placed it face up, flat on the table. "This is a dead zone," you began, circling your finger to draw an invisible circle around a large cluster of factories. "Factories in this area are built with thick layers of concrete, and the chemical run off they use in these places send out a large amount of electrical waves. This combination can kill wireless radio signals, especially if the device you’re tracking is in the building or underground. So," your finger landed on the red dot. "If Boy Wonder's signal dropped here, he's probably still in the dead zone, assuming the device is working properly." 

The teens nodded slowly, adjusting to the information. It made sense in a way. It wasn't like they expected very much from you, considering your occupation. They didn't need to know you neglected to tell them that the masked super villain you catered to had his hide-out camped in the middle of the dead zone. You couldn’t tell them everything; they could figure that out on their own. You could only offer a step in the right direction. 

“That would explain why we had connection problems when we searched that area.” Raven carefully eyed the map. “We can recalibrate the signals coming from Robin’s communicator when we get back to the tower.”

“And I can sync my scanner to his radio frequency. I’ll be able to catch the residual signals as they bounce off the electrical field.” Cyborg held up his arm and punched in a few calibrations.

“Wait, wait, wait!” You eyed the green boy when he gave a serious face. “You’re telling me that this place is the reason I can’t get a cell phone signal in the tech district?! Dude! I totally missed out on a date last week!” 

Raven rolled her eyes. “Who would date you?”

His ego deflated right before your eyes. You would have pat the poor kid on the back had he not bounced back so fast, giving a smart remark at the expense of the girl in blue. You were nervous you would have to break up a fight, or clean up after a mess should a fight break out.

“Friends! Now is not the time to fight. We are here to find Robin, not to bicker like Oparanians on Glombernog.” You looked at her strangely, before shaking your head. Right, not human. 

She turned to you, with a hopeful look in her eyes. “You will assist us in searching for Robin? Your knowledge of the underground and the inanimate objects will be of great help.”

“Yeah! And you can geek out with Cyborg some more!” 

Nervously looking at their expectant gazes, your throat went dry. You weren’t quite sure what to say. You knew the answer was no. That much was obvious, but their gazes and the enjoyable atmosphere almost made you reconsider. 

“Uhm—“

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Cyborg’s artificial eye began to flicker with a red light as an alarm went off. Checking through the screen on his arm, he gave a frown. “Looks like the hunt for Robin is gonna have to wait. There’s a theft in progress in the East area of the Tech district. Someone broke into Jump City data records.” All at once, the Titans stood and ran for the door except for Cyborg. “Here, keep this.” He thrust into your hand a yellow communicator with a white T in the center. “I don’t always have someone I can talk to about my tech. It would be cool if we could sit down and collaborate, you know?” Before you could refuse, he ran out the door after his comrades leaving you in an empty condo with a blinking Titan communicator in your hands. 

Eyeing the yellow device, you pressed the side button and instantly the screen lit up showing the locations of the Titans as they moved about Jump City. One red dot sat stationary on the other side of the screen. It blinked uselessly in a steady rhythm, taunting you to come out of your hole. Pursing your lips, you chucked it over your shoulder and onto the couch. What were you supposed to do now?


	16. The Thief

It didn't take long for you to regret your fleeting decision to spend your New Year's Eve attending a midnight rave in the downtown club across the street. Normally you wouldn't bother with these types of parties, but all the other places were packed with overly affectionate couples and large groups of friends getting wasted with the many drinks they would guzzle away. Those scenes only reminded you of how lonely your life had become. 

Giving a sour pout, you brought the glass to your lips and drank what was left of your dark liquor. Pounding the now empty glass against the counter, you gave a hefty sigh before sliding it over to join the others. You just wanted to drink yourself into oblivion tonight. This was one more lonely New Year celebration; you would chalk it up there with all the others. However, you wouldn't be completely alone. The pounding bass in your ears kept your mind at bay, the body heat from the dance floor kept you warm, and the drinks kept you company. It gave you the illusion of company, and for now that was enough. It's definitely better than the first time you had spent this night alone. 

Shaking your head, you waved down the bartender and ordered another drink. This time it was darker with age and high alcohol content. She gave you a skeptical look before fixing your drink and placing it in front of you. 

"This is the last one you're getting tonight, alright? You're going to get shit-faced if you drink anymore." Rolling your eyes, you slid the money across the counter.

"Keep the change." She sighed before turning away to tend to the other customers. 

Fingering the rim of the glass, you almost got lost in the atmosphere of this place. You wanted to dance, go out with friends, and have a good time. But it was days like these when you had nothing to do when you realized your own loneliness. Sure the commissions kept you busy during the year, and the commissioners served as your human contact. On special days like these you were reminded of how especially saddening your life had become. How especially alone you had grown to be. How much you missed what your life was like before. 

Suddenly, you weren't so thirsty. 

"S'cuse me, is that a mirror in your pocket?" Turning in your stool, you came face to face with a teen with pale skin and dark hair. 

"What?" He wasn't intoxicated, in fact he looked more put together than you probably did at the moment.

A sly smirk snaked itself onto his lips. "I said," your confused expression quickly turned into one of panic when he pushed himself upon you until you were pressed between him and the counter. "Is that a mirror in your pocket?" Bracing himself with one hand against the counter behind you, he invaded your personal space. He used his free hand to pull at the belt loops on your jeans and press his hips closer to yours. "Because I can totally see myself in your pants." 

A cold chill ran up your spine and your body ran cold. You could feel the colour drain from your face. Your heart pounded like thunder in your ears. Swallowing hard, you gave a great shove at his chest. He fell back a step, creating some well needed distance between you.

"I'm not interested!" He faltered slightly before returning with vengeance. 

"Common sweet cheeks. You don't want to spend the beginning of a new year alone, do ya? Let me take you back to my place. I'll keep you company all. Night. Long." To emphasize his point, his hand drifted up from your pants to play with the hem of your shirt. 

"Get lost!" You swat his offending hand away from your body and made another futile attempt to push him off you. 

"You heard the lady," a hand gripped the guy's shoulder firmly. Suddenly his overwhelming presence was violently ripped away, causing you to brace yourself against the counter in shock. The pervert fell to the ground on his behind, his eyes wide in panic. Turning to face the new predicament, you could hardly believe your eyes. The new presence stood between you and the harasser like an impenetrable wall. He was clad in black from head to toe. His posture was stiff but threatening, and the voice he spoke in was velvet smooth. Your heart skipped a beat at this new chivalry being shown. You were sure that this night wouldn't have ended well had the other situation played out. But something about this new person set your nerves on fire, and you didn't like it. You had seen his kind before. Another playboy has shown up. A part of you thought about two carnivores fighting over a good meal.

"Get going." The make-shift hero commanded towards the other male.

"B-but!" You missed the meaningful look the two guys exchanged before the one on the floor nodded and retreated back into the safe haven of the crowd. Giving a sly smirk, the victor turned to move in for the kill. However, you were already long gone with only an empty glass left in your wake. Whipping his head in every direction, he scanned the crowd for any sign of your presence to no avail. Just when he was about to give up on the search, a fleeting sight caught his eye. The bright light from the streets illuminated the dark interior as a small figure escaped into the night. The sly smirk returned to his lips after having left moments prior. If you wanted to play hard to get, he'd play along. He didn't mind a bit of a chase, that's what made his way of life so much fun. Although, he had never had to physically pursue someone before. It was usually the other way around

You stumbled down the empty, snow covered, street traveling as fast as your wobbly legs could take you. It had gotten colder into the the night than you had expected it to be. Why did you have to choose a club that far from your condo? In retrospect it probably wasn't the smartest idea. Your labored breathing filled your as and the streets were abnormally quiet, but something inside you told you to make a run for it. Someone was following you and this feeling would just not go away. Taking a quick glance behind you, you checked to see if there indeed was a presence following after you. However the only thing behind you was the image of a deserted, white street. Slowing your retreat, you wrapped your coat tighter around you before turning forward and continuing on your way.

Pulling up your knit scarf, you shielded yourself from the cold gusts of wind that seemed to propel you forward. You were getting closer to home now. You had spent a small fortune on the bar scene today, it was time you went home to what you had left and-- 

"Oof!" Your face hit the chest of another with enough force to send you reeling backwards. 

"Whoops!" A familiar male voice piped up in surprise. A hand reached out, catching you by the arm, pulling you back into place. "Sorry about that. I should watch where I'm going." 

Stumbling forward from the momentum of his pull, you steadied yourself using his other arm. Taking a calming breath to calm your pounding heart, you looked up to to give the person a good verbal thrashing. Well you would have, had your heart not skipped a beat when your eyes locked with two deep pools of sparkling emerald green. All mental threats, curses, and rude comments vanished from your mind and instead they were replaced with a black void leaving you unable to make at least a cohesive sentence. 

He was the guy from the club.


	17. The Thief II

"Like what you see?" His chuckle brought you out of your trance like state. Shaking your head, you pulled away from him, bringing your arms across your chest. You could see him better in this light. He leaned back slightly in a casual manner with his hands in his pockets. A soft, amused expression graced his statuesque features. He looked about a year or two older than you and dressed well considering his young appearance. His dirty blonde hair was pulled back and tied in a short pony tail giving you access to his shining green eyes. They wandered over your smaller frame as if he was inspecting you for the slaughter. While he seemed a bit preoccupied with his sight seeing, you muttered a quiet apology and walked around him.

Realizing your retreat, he quickly caught up to you, his amused expression now one of guilt.

"Sorry! It was a joke! A bad one, I guess." He muttered the last part to himself, before looking back at you earnestly. "Hey, let me make it up to you. Let's get you dried off, and I'll buy you a drink." 

"No, thanks." 

Quirking a brow, he smiled your cold brush off. "Then how about we go to my place? It's not too far from here. It's got a great view of the pier, and no room-mates." 

Pursing your lips, you gave the persistent guy a glare. In response, he raised his hands in the air signaling no ill will. 

"Just some coffee and good company to bring in the new year." He gave you an earnest expression when he realized your skepticism. "Scout's honor," he added. He sent you a mock salute for emphasis. 

Pursing his lips at your lack of response, he placed a hand on your shoulder. "What do you say?"

Turning sharply to slap his hand away, the prominent glare that should have been sent his way, turned into one of shock. Your vision went from perfectly normal to dizzy in an instant. Was the world spinning or was it you? Your knees buckled as you swayed on your feet gripping onto the closest thing that could keep your steady. The closest thing just happened to be your persistent, blonde, acquaintance. 

"Hey there, you alright?" Taking hold of your other arm, he tried to steady you. "Someone has had one too many to drink tonight." Giving a faltering glare his way, you pulled yourself from his grasp and continued on your way. Stubborn and stumbling, you clumsily trekked through the snow. 

Now, normally a young adolescent man would have given up pursuit by now. Any normal young man would collect what was left of his ego and try another attempt elsewhere. Clearly, this young man was not normal for he continued to walk beside you despite your crippling shots to his self worth. 

"You must really not like me," he stated after a heavy sigh. 

"It's n-not that." He quirked a brow at your strange response. "I~ ...just can't trust strange guys. Especially ones that pop up out of no where in the middle of the night." 

"No, I suppose you can't," he chuckled dryly. "But you know, I'm not so bad once you get to know me." 

You kept your eyes straight as you stumble forward. "There isn't a good or bad." You brought your hands up to your lips and gave a heavy blow of air to warm your cold fingers. "There's just people being people, and people can't be trusted. It's that simple." 

"...You're pretty damaged aren't you?" It wasn't an insult but merely an observation on his part. By now he didn't bother looking at you. He kept his hands stuck in his pockets and his gaze forward as he blindly followed your lead. Maybe you had struck a chord with him. Maybe you had said something he understood all too well, or perhaps he thought you were too far gone in the depths of your drunkenness that you were now just spouting none sense. What ever the reason was, he began to withdraw himself from you, not physically but emotionally. His original gusto was replaced with a cool aura that chilled you almost as much as the winter atmosphere. There wasn't a lack of attention, nor was there a lack of interest. He simply just withdrew. 

"Yeah, I am. Probably more than most, but that's okay. I guess that makes us similar." He gave another chuckle at your assumption, simply writing it off as booze talk. But he went along with it anyway. He had already come this far.

"And what makes you think that?" 

He expected a crack at his image, at his speech-- something stupid and superficial like all the other people he had met since his birth. All those stupid excuses for human beings he had the displeasure of meeting made him bitter about the world. Never had he heard anyone give him a good reason to believe in the people of this world. No one understood him and you would be no different. At least, that was what he expected.

"Because whenever I say 'I'm not so bad once you get to know me' I'm usually trying to convince myself more than anyone else." You didn't notice the way the young man stopped in his tracks, or the way his eyes looked blankly ahead in shock. You didn't see how slightly pale his complexion became in the bright moonlight, or the way his eyes had darkened into a dull green jade colour. It felt like an eternity before the young man finally snapped back into his surroundings by the sound of your voice. By now you were standing outside an expensive condominium complex further up the street looking in his direction expectantly. 

"Hey, you okay down there?" You called down to him.

Blinking a few times, he found his voice again despite the drain he felt when his emotional flood returned from whence it came. 

"I...I'm sorry?" You gave a slight grumble at his response.

"I said, would you like to come to my place? It's not too far from here. It's got a great view of the pier, and no room-mates." To emphasize your point, you pulled open the door to the condominium complex and gave him a grin. "Just some coffee and good company to bring in the new year." 

He smirked at your familiar proposal, meeting you in the doorway. "What's with the change of heart?"

"Well I got to get to know you first, right? I have to see if you're a bad guy or not." You gave a silly smile.

"Geez, I don't know. I can't trust strange women who pop up out of no where in the middle of the night." He brought his hand up and tapped his cheek as if to deliberate your proposal.

"I'm not so bad, once you get to know me." Your words caused another brief pause in his actions before he moved behind you and held the door open, motioning for you to move inside. Rolling his eyes, he gently nudged you forward when you took too long.

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up, will you? It's kinda chilly out here." Quickening your pace, you turned back to him once you both found shelter in the lobby. A large grin pulled at your lips. 

"There he is!" You called. He quirked a brow at your strange words. 

"What are you talking about now?"

"You, the real you. He made an appearance just now." He silently observed you, scrutinizing you under a hard gaze for any form of deceit. When he couldn't find one, he simply smirked, pulled the elastic out of his hair and tussled it until his wavy, dirty blonde tresses fell into and framed his face. Tilting his chin down, he eyed you again, this time with a sudden playful smolder that almost made you regret your invitation. 

"What are you? A psychoanalyst or something?" 

"Or you're a pretty bad actor for a playboy." Nonchalantly turning around, you made your way to your door, ignoring the unimpressed look he sent your way.

"So what's your name anyway? Or should I just call you gullible?" 

"....It's [First Name] [Last Name], actually." Unlocking the door to your condo you stepped in and turned to hold it open for your company. "What about you?" He paused again as if to deliberate on giving his identity. His eyes glazed slightly as he contemplated.

"...Todd. Jason Todd." 

You watched him curiously as he casually walked in. Before following after him, you couldn't help but throw in a bit of sarcasm.

"What kind of introduction is that? Who are you, 007?"

 

****

.:x[X]x:.

It hadn't taken long for you to pass out on the couch. It was a matter of minutes really. You had suggested to watch the ball drop to bring in the new year and the fireworks that usually lit up the sky over Titan Tower. Not long after you had taken a seat on your couch had you fallen unconscious. It was astounding to your company though. You had lasted longer than any of the other women had. That drug his friend had slipped into your drink at the club was fairly potent.

Todd gave an aggravated sigh as he rummaged through your purse. There was no money in the compartments and you didn't carry a wallet. No wallet meant no bank card or credit card, (and no ID card, which Todd found rather odd) and from his observation at the club you only paid in cash. Your purse was virtually empty, save two dollars and a pack of gum. Moving on to the rest of your condo he found little that could be of any value. Your whole home seemed to be stocked with only the bare necessities. The most valuable things you owned were probably your television, couch, and refrigerator but there was is no way he'd be able to make it out of there with any one of them, except perhaps the television. He didn't understand it. You were spending money on drinks like there was no tomorrow, how could you not have anything left? You lived in the downtown district and owned a condo in one of the most expensive complexes in the city. There must be a place where you stored the cash. 

After inspecting all your belongings and dismissing a suspiciously empty wall that seemed out of place, the young man gave a sigh in defeat. He'd just have to settle for the television. Passing your sleeping figure on the couch, he made a bee line for the rather large electronic that hung upon your wall but stopped when you turned over on your back. Were you awake? Swallowing his nerves, he looked back over your sleeping figure with a cool composure. He still had a shot to play off this theft, and he wasn't about to waste the effort he had exerted thus far. To his relief, you were still unconscious and sleeping soundly. Hardening his resolve, he moved onto the television; however, the blond quickly backtracked when an unusual bulge between your bosom caught his eye. He hadn't noticed _that_ before. It didn't look like any anatomical defect that he knew of, and the way it peeked between your breasts it looked like a stack of paper. 

Quirking a brow, he leaned in closer and carefully pinched the edge of the paper before gently pulling on it. It didn't pull completely free, but it was enough to see that it was no ordinary paper hiding beneath your shirt. It was a thick stack of fifty dollar bills, folded over itself. His green eyes shined as he realized that this was what he was looking for. This was the secret fortune you tucked away for safe keeping. And what safer place was there but between a woman's breasts? 

Pulling a bit harder on the corner that was revealed to him, Todd bit back a groan of disapproval as it tore away from the rest of it's party. Inhaling to calm his pounding heart, he combed back his golden locks and hardened his nerve. This was what he came here for! This was what he needed to stay alive! It was him or you. It was a matter of life and death, and he certainly wasn't going to let one small girl get in his way! A drop of sweat rolled down his temple, and he swallowed to moisten his dry mouth. Her cleavage on the other hand....

Finally fed up with his own petty deliberating, Todd thrust his hand down the front of your shirt. His face hardened when he realized his fingers had taken a wrong turn, and instead of paper, he felt the softness of skin and lace. Twisting his digits around he continued his search for where the money had been snagged. Hooking one digit underneath the wad of paper, he gave a soft tug and was able to free the prize from the clutches of your bosom. Snatching the green pile from your unconscious form, he removed his fingers and gave a sigh of relief. Sure he had seduced many a woman at night to get him to the goods, but they were usually out cold right after they made it through the front door. Once he was in, he was free to ransack the place as he saw fit. Never had he came across a lady ever hide her money on her body before. A purse? Sure. A secret safe behind a portrait of her and he husband? Definitely. Between her breasts? No. Not until now. He had to give it to you though. You had some gusto, and some really soft skin. 

His eyes drifted over your sleeping body as he counted the bills-- which he noted were all fifties. He couldn't quite tell how old you were. A lady's age couldn't be told by her face. But considering you were content on your own, and your body still had a bit of room for developing, he was fairly sure you were a bit young. What could someone like you possibly be doing on your own? Turning away, he pocketed the money save for a few bills which he slipped back into your shirt. He wouldn't need all of it. This was enough to get him by for the next while.

Without turning back, he walked away from you, making sure to lock your door behind him. It was better if he didn't think about your story. It couldn't possibly be that bad considering where you lived and how much you money you were storing away. His chest ached with guilt. Perhaps if circumstances were different, he and you could have been friends, but there was nothing else he could do. He would have to forget you like he had done with all the others he had stolen from. His emerald eyes hardened as he once again ventured out into the cold, empty, snow ridden street. It was time to return to the harsh reality of the world he lived in. His breath cast a trail of fog as he disappeared into the dead of night. You lived in an expensive condo in the expensive side of town. You could spare a bit of compensation for his time.


	18. The Guilty

Twisting your wrench, you tightened the loosened bolt of one of the many androids under Mr. Super-Villain’s disposal. He had required house calls for maintinence of all the technology you had built him once it started to accumulate so outrageously. Even you couldn’t believe that he now had a steadily growing army of androids. It was just easier, and safer, for you and your business to make the repairs under Slade’s roof, so long as he didn’t get caught. 

Pushing the wet locks of hair that strayed into your face, you stood up straight with a sigh of accomplishment. The android picked itself up off the work table and lined up with all the others. It was the last repair you needed to make in the whole slew of bots, marking the end of the rather extended visit. Thank goodness. Wiping off your greased tools, you placed them in their appropriate slot before closing the case and hopping on your hover board. You didn’t like spending more time in the factory more than you needed to, especially in the presence of Mr. Super-Villain. The more you grew to know him, the more he made your skin crawl.

The head honcho himself didn’t take too much effort to come around and watch you in person. No, he had his hidden cameras for that. So you always made it a point to wear your oversized goggles and mechanic gloves to shield your face and finger prints. Super Villains were all the same in that they didn’t care about who they exploited to get what they want. You refused to be one of those people, so it was imperative that you were extra careful with your identity when you were in his jurisdiction. You wouldn’t become another casualty in the useless fight between “good” and “evil”.

Kicking your board into gear, you made your way into the hall in search of the mysterious older man who had a tendency to slink around in the dark more often than what you were comfortable with. This was perhaps your second house call for the one eyed man, the first being about a month prior. The androids you restored usually suffered relatively minor damage, no doubt due to the abuse from the Titans. Repairing and replacing limbs that were broken or gone altogether were the norm. Androids that didn’t return were probably in a state of disrepair and it was just easier to replace them with a new one. 

As you made your way towards the main hall, a large black shadow caught your attention in your peripheral vision to your right. Your heart jumped as anxiety set in. Despite the lack of lighting within this whole place, you were sure that it wasn’t anything you recognized. This old factory was empty, save for you, the androids, rats and Mr. Super-Villain. Quickly hopping off your board, you kicked the back end of it, catching it in your hand before silently scurrying behind a steel pillar. Holding up your board to shield your body, you watched as the large shadow drifted down the hall quickly. As it passed you, you realized that it was actually not one solitary thing, but four, four Titans to be precise. What in the world were they doing here? 

Biting your lip, you shrunk further behind your board. If they were to catch you here, whether they were looking for Mr. Super Villain or not, it would be hard to explain, and even harder to deny. It would be best if you just avoided them for now. If Mr. Super Villain survived this day, you would come back and collect your dues. If he didn’t…well…you would cut your losses, move on, and over price a gullible, world domination enthusiast. You just needed to get out of here without being seen. 

The group paused in their movements as if something had caught their attention. Beast Boy, who was in some kind of dog form was leading the pack. He took a sniff at the floor and for a second you thought you saw him turn his head towards you. Instantly your mouth went dry. This was it. You were done. You were going to get arrested for being in cahoots with the Super Villain and your reputation would be shot. Then before you could finish watching your life flash before your eyes, Beast Boy’s ears flickered to the side, making him turn back towards the hall. Then there was another pregnant pause. A cold sweat broke out, the atmosphere was suffocating. With one last look in your direction, Beast Boy took off down the concrete corridor and led the group away from you. 

Once you were sure the group was out of ear shot, you gave a soft sigh in relief. Now it was time to take your leave. But before you could, the sounds of a scuffle found its way to your ears. You hadn’t noticed it before because of the blood pumping through your ears, but now you could hear it lightly echoing, bouncing off the high concrete walls. The echoes were too far down to be of any of the Titans. Frowning slightly you situated yourself on the board again, carefully listening. Your gut was telling you to leave, to let the Titans conduct their jobs like they are paid to and you to return home. Your gut was rational. Your gut was sensible. Your mind on the other hand was succumbing to your curiosity. You knew better, or at least you thought you did. But still, for some gut-wrenching reason you found yourself drifting your board down the same direction you saw the Titans disappear down. 

As you trailed down the dark halls, passing giant metal beams on your heart pounding trek, your body began to shake. The anxiety you endured from your adrenaline rushes was horribly debilitating, but for some reason your mind pressed you on. It served to remind you that you belonged in the dark, alone and away from confrontation. 

As the echoes grew louder, you could hear more of the words being exchanged from the two people arguing. One was Mr. Super Villain that much you recognized; however, the other voice sounded younger. It sounded familiar, but from where?

“Leave him alone!” Silently drifting behind a pillar, you watched the confrontation from afar. 

The Titans stood across from the fallen Mr. Super Villain and his younger accomplice which you hadn’t noticed before, poised for a fight. You were sure that the older man had worked alone, which was why he commissioned you for the miniature android army. Mr. Super Villain picked himself off the concrete floor, turning to his protégé. 

“Robin, attack!” 

Wait.

Robin?

Robin was his protégé?!

The teen stepped into the light, confirming his identity. He wore a pointed mask, and the very same combat suit Slade had commissioned from you several weeks ago. 

“Get out of here! Go! You don’t know what those beams did to—“

The Titans hushed his frantic pleas of their escape, opting to stand their ground despite their imminent danger. He was talking about the nano-bot beams you had created. Bracing yourself against the metal beam, you attempted to erase the horrid feeling from your chest. Although your stomach still urged you to escape, you couldn’t bring yourself to move. It was your fault they were here. It was your fault they had come this far. You knew deep down that it was always going to be partly your fault for the danger they faced, but you never realized just how real this danger was. Until now, that is. 

“How very touching.” Moving to be beside the Titan leader, Slade held up his wrist to reveal the wrist band which controlled the activation of your nano technology. “But Robin doesn’t need any friends.” And with the press of your man made button, the machine started up, and the nano bots began to attack. 

Sliding down the metal beam, you curled yourself into the fetal position. Your body was glowing bright yellows, oranges, and reds just like the four Titans across from you. You couldn’t hear their cries in agony as you were back into your own mental space, your mind engulfed with no thoughts but the pain. You were burning again, being torn from the inside out. How had the nano bots drifted into your blood stream? 

“This is the price of disobedience, Robin. Now, do as I command. Attack!” 

Robin watched as his friends fell to the floor as the nano bots destroyed them from the inside out. Although the tried to fight it, it was no use. Even Starfire, an alien girl with super human strength could not fight the power of the technology. The tears of pain and frustration that streaked down her face was enough for Robin to make up his mind. He would finish this now. 

Instead of attacking the Titans like Slade had instructed, Robin made a mad dash towards the nano-bot control station. 

“Robin!” 

From your curled position on the cold floor, you watched Robin throw himself at the glowing station which sparked with dangerous intent. Though hazy vision, you watched him grit his teeth as he fought the pain and stayed clinging to the device until he could take no more. The power of the control station was too much for the teen as he was thrown across the room, a trail of smoke lifting off his body. When he stood, his body glowed just like your own. 

Gritting your teeth, you fought through the haziness of your mind and the crippling pain that rendered you speechless. With shaking, jerky movements, you searched hastily through your jumpsuit. 

“New deal, Slade. If I lose my friends, you lose your apprentice.” Fighting the cries of protest from his body, Robin stayed standing, and looked up at Slade. “And I know how you hate to lose.” But it was too much for the teen, for he too was thrown to the floor in agony. 

From inside your jump suit, you blindly found the self-destruct button you created for your commissions. With haggard breathing and a cold sweat, you grit your teeth and tuned the frequency to the nano-bot control system. With what little strength you had left, you pushed the button. 

Slade watched in irritation as the teen before him acted so lowly as to throw himself in the line of fire for something as useless as friendship. In fact, Slade considered the thought of letting him die with his friends right there. The world was a large place. He could find another suitable candidate for his protégé somewhere else. The wrist control caught his eye as it sparked in an unnatural way. The control station sparked up the central core before both pieces completely broke apart and fell to the floor inoperable. With that, the Titans stopped glowing, returning to normal. Slade narrowed his eyes. That wasn’t supposed to happen. 

The fight began all over again, except this time it was on an even playing field. The nano-bots were no longer in play, and the game was on. Except, you weren’t planning on sticking around any longer. Your curiosity satiated and your body exhausted, you haggard your way atop your board once more and turned your back on the fight behind you. The Titans could take care of themselves now. You, on the other hand, needed to clean yourself up and maybe do a bit of reflection on all that had transpired.


	19. The Betrayed

You gave a heavy sigh as you stepped out of your bathroom. The cool air of your dark condo did well to chill your heated skin. Rubbing your arms in an attempt to comfort yourself, your fingers lingered on the injection site where you had injected yourself with the anti-nano-bot serum. The serum was perfectly safe to inject into your system, but still you blamed it for the slight sickening feeling in your stomach. Steam rolled across the floor in little rivulets, giving way as you moved through the main room and into the kitchen. Taking a half empty bottle of beer, you combed your fingers through your hair before taking a long drink. But of course, the reason for your sickness wasn’t the serum at all. It was the guilt quickly building up within you. What was going on with your moral compass lately? After seeing and experiencing the pain you had inadvertently caused the Titans, you couldn’t help but feel awful. But this was how you survived, you reminded yourself. You couldn’t waver just because of one small incident. A small incident that almost killed you and the Titans. 

Choking on the liquid, you were thrown into a violent coughing fit. You threw the bottle into the sink, ignoring the sound of it shattering as you pounded on your chest, willing the obstruction to disappear. Finally having enough of yourself, you left the kitchen to make your retreat into the bedroom. This whole ordeal had definitely shaken you more than you thought it did. Your incompetence was just making more grief for yourself. Perhaps if you turned in for the night, you’d be able to shake off this feeling of guilt and get back to business in the morning. 

Dragging your feet listlessly across the cool floor, you moved towards your bedroom. Shoving your hand in your pockets, you fought the feeling of being watched. 

“Are you just going to ignore me?”

“…To be honest, I was hoping I was hallucinating.” The teen didn’t speak, didn’t laugh. He didn’t make a sound to let you know he even acknowledged your response. Instead, he only stepped into the residual glow that drifted in from the kitchen. He was stoic, an emotion which you hadn’t seen him exude since the first time you met. Turning to face him, you could feel your skin crawl in discomfort. The tension the hero radiated was overwhelming and a part of you wanted to curl up under the scrutiny. But you stood there, keeping your expression as indifferent as possible. 

“So what brings you to—“ 

“You need to shut it down.” His voice was unrelenting. His body language was unmoving. He wasn’t joking, and wasn’t taking anything else but compliance from you. It was the most intimidating you had seen him since you had met him those years ago. He didn’t always exhibit the good humor you knew he had. And it looked like he wasn’t about to crack a joke. He meant business.

You cracked a brief smirk. Was he always this ferocious when it came to business?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I can’t help you if you’re going to be cryptic.” You were digging your own grave. That much you knew. But this being the first time seeing the hero in this state, you were curious. For how long could he keep his composure?

“Your **business**. I want you to stop selling weapons.” Such a ludicrous demand.

“You know that I can’t—“The teen rushed at you, enraged with your answer, and pulled at the collar of your shirt until he was growling threateningly in your face. Gripping his wrists, you braced yourself and shied away from his imposing show.

“Your machines almost killed my friends today, Mecha! They almost **died**!” Biting the inside of your cheek, your eyes drifted to the ground. That wretched feeling burned with new fervor in the pit of your stomach. A violent jerk of your shirt brought your attention back to the teen.

“ **Look at me!** ” Holding your tongue, you refused his command. You couldn’t bring yourself to lie to him this time around, but that just seemed to aggravate the teen even more. 

“How can you be so **greedy** so **_selfish_** …?” His words dripped with venom biting at your very being. His eyes narrowed at your face, inspecting you, scrutinizing you. 

Furrowing your brows, you released his wrists before pushing him away from you. Not expecting your sudden violent response, the teen released his hold on you to stumble back a step. He watched you, bewildered at this new side of you. Never in the years he had known you did you ever show a side of violence. You always shied away from physical contact of any kind, and only used verbal attacks when the time came. He always assumed you to be a pacifist. 

“Don’t you chastise me about greed and selfishness!” The shadows cast across your face hid your expression, but the hero didn’t miss the bite in your words. Stepping forward, you didn’t give him a chance to respond. 

“Don’t you **dare** take a tone of superiority with me!” Prodding his chest with an accusatory finger, you glared at the teen with a new hatred. “You think that because you wear that suit that you’re above me? You think because the government pays you to fight for them that you can tell me what to do?” The teen winced as the prodding grew painful with each new jab. You weren’t the same pacifist he had grown accustomed to. 

“Who do you think the government goes to when they want something?” you scoffed. “Better yet, who did **you** turn to?” When the teen held back a response, you answered for him. 

**“Me!”** Gesturing to yourself with angry gestures, your volume amplified louder than any tone you had used with the teen before. “Me, and people like me! Used and abused by people like you,” you pressed against the teen’s chest again, “and once we’re no longer of use, we’re canned for our so called ‘transgressions’!” Now it was your turn to grip the teen’s collar. “You think I’m selfish? Take a look in the mirror.” 

The teen narrowed his eyes at you, growling in anger at your accusations. Smacking your hands away, he still looked at you in an authoritative way. “You worked for Slade, Mecha! I can’t ignore that! You provided him with the suit he made me wear. You made the nano-bots, the controller system, you even gave him androids! You’re providing a dangerous man with dangerous technology, Mecha! You’re putting lives in jeopardy!” 

“So what?” The teen, put off by your response, gaped at you.

“Wh…What? Are you kidding me?! You don’t see a problem with that!?” The heated glare was sent your way again, and you matched it with your own.

“People are in danger all the time. Whether it be me, or Slade, or traffic. It’s part of life. You can’t eliminate danger.” The teen grit his teeth. 

“You’re right, I can’t. But I can try. If keeping the city safe means getting people like him off the streets, then I’m going to hunt them down until they’re no longer a threat. But I can’t do that if you’re playing both sides!” 

“You knew it all along!” Bawling your fists, you resisted the urge to run at him fists first. 

“W-what?“ 

“ _Please_ , I’m not stupid. You think you’re the first person to try to get on my good side so they could get a one up on the other? You’re just the first person to make it into my workshop. You weaseled your way into my place and used it as blackmail against me!” 

“I didn’t do it to blackmail you! I was trying to make sure you didn’t get into trouble! I was trying to make sure you were safe!”

“Bullshit! You wanted to monitor me!” With hearing your own words, a light bulb went off in your head. Combing your fingers through your hair, you took a subdued breath. You understood now. Why hadn’t you pieced it together before? Why hadn’t you made the connection? “You wanted to monitor me…” you stated in realization. Your eyes, wide with understanding, drifted from the floor to the now solemn hero. “You didn’t actually need my services…No, you’re smart enough to make your own weapons. You wanted to use me to get to the people I catered to…” 

The look on his face made it evident that he heard your words. Though his expression softened, it looked like he was trying to find the words. But the only words he could find wouldn’t deny your insight. “Mecha…I--”

“I wasn’t….We were never…” It was comical really. Why were you expecting anything different from him? “You didn’t …come for my technology. You didn’t come for my company ‘cause we weren’t even friends….were we?” 

The teen was taken aback from the hurt expression you showed when you looked up at him. He should have tried to mend the situation. He should have said _“Yes, we are.”_ But the betrayal he felt inside wouldn’t let such words come to pass. The anger he held inside wanted to tell you _“No, we never were.”_ Just to spite you. But the side that sought your companionship diminished every thought. What he was left with was thick, tense, and guilty silence. 

How did things turn out like this? 

When did the world get flipped upside down?

Or was it upside down to begin with? 

When had you left yourself open for all this new pain? 

Flashbacks of your childhood replayed through your mind, reminding you of why you were here in the first place. Images of all the pain and heartbreak you and your family had gone through in this stupid, useless power struggle between “good” and “evil” rushed you like a freight train. Such drivel. Such nonsense! 

“You know, when I got to know you—or at least, what I thought was you—I thought that maybe our worlds could coexist…that maybe, one day, I could leave behind my world altogether.” The tears you could feel forming were held back by the ice creeping over your heart. This familiar feeling of indifference was what kept you alive all this time. How could you have forgotten?

“Mecha…I’m sure--” The teen took a step towards you, about to reach out for you, but you moved away. You wouldn’t let him get near you. Not this time. You had become emotionally invested. That was your mistake. 

“But, now I see that those hopes were just useless musings. Dreams of a girl who didn’t know her _place_ ” Turning away from him, you moved to the coffee table and picked up a silver briefcase. Inside it was five vials of nano-bot serum. You threw it to the hero, more aggressively than you had meant. “Here’s the antidote for those nano-bots. I was going to send it to you tomorrow, but seeing as you’re here already, you might as well take it with you.” This time your voice was cold, just like the first time he had met you. 

Catching the relatively small case, he looked back at you, unsure of what to say. “…I’m sorry.” 

“So am I.” Turning your back on the teen, you headed towards the bedroom. “I guess I should also say goodbye.” 

“W-what?” The teen furrowed his brow. What did you mean by goodbye? The teen walked after you, catching your shoulder in his grasp. Shrugging from his hold, you didn’t face him.

“I’m leaving. I should have done it a long time ago. Our occupations seem to be conflicting and that’s the last thing I need. That’s the last thing my business needs. Don’t worry, I’m getting out of your city. You won’t have to deal with me again.” 

“Hey! That’s not the only option here, Mecha!” His voice was desperate. “I can get you a job with the government or something! You can do something good with your talent!” Your skin prickled at his words. 

“ _Good_? Who are you to tell me what is good and bad?”

“I-I didn’t mean it like that. I meant—“ 

“ **Get. Out.** ” 

“Mecha, please. I didn’t mean—“

“I said **GET OUT!** ” With your great bellow, the fire arms invested in your walls thrust outward, instantly zeroing in on the hero. Their red lasers decorated his body with dime sized dots. Your defense system was armed. You weren’t going to stand for his company any longer it seemed. The teen retreated towards the exit, warily eyeing the armed barrels pointed at him. Before he left, he left you with words that gave one last stab to your heart before it completely froze over. 

“If it’s all the same to you…I was hoping you could have left your world too…to join mine.” With that, he walked out of your life and closed the door behind him. 

The minutes ticked by felt like hours as you stood, unmoving, in that spot ~~Robin~~ the hero had left you. You had forgotten the feeling of loneliness all this time. It wasn’t something you missed. Once you were sure that he was gone, you disarmed your defense system and set to work. If you were going to disappear by morning, you had some work to do. Finding a duffle bag, you began to pack some clothes and cash. You were going to be sleeping on the go for the next little while. 

A strong knock at the door disrupted your movements. Cautiously moving into the living-room, you hit the defense button for your workshop. Instantly, the doorway was sealed shut with a concrete slab, and the staircase that bridged the gap between the two areas was filled with quick drying cement. Whoever was at the door wasn’t the hero. He always made it a point not to knock. 

When a second set of knocks went unanswered once again, your front door was blown off its hinges and your condo was invaded by men wearing familiar yellow visored helmets and a black and grey uniform. In their hands were heavy guns pointed directly at you. 

Frowning at the new turn of events, you raised your hands in the air to show you were unarmed. You eyed the men, about six in total, as they came to surround you. 

“[First Name] [Last Name], also known as Mecha. You are under arrest for several accounts of unlawful arms dealing. Anything you say or do may be used against you in a court of law.” As one officer split off from the group, coming behind you to hand cuff you, he told you your Miranda rights. 

You bit your tongue, letting the men lead you to the awaiting vehicle to send you to jail. The new ice around your heart, cemented in its hold. You would no longer trust people from here on out. No matter how innocent, naïve, and friendly they may look. No matter what “side” they proclaimed to be on. You knew now that the only thing you could truly count on was cold, hard, cash.


	20. The Frayed

It was like watching a movie montage.

The only thing you felt was numb.

It was so surreal. 

You were so far removed from the happenings around you. As the armored men shackled you like the criminal they accused you of being, you were heaved from your dark haven and thrust into the outside world. This time the streets weren’t the same disregarding paths you knew. They weren’t filled with the same people who normally turned a blind eye whenever you entered their world. No, this time their world was a grand stage alive with bright lights and cameras flashing. A grand stage for you to make your first appearance in the lime light. It would be your five seconds of infamy. The stinging sensations in your eyes had you briefly thinking about your goggles before you were once again overcome by numbness. 

_It was so over the top_ , you caught yourself thinking as they pushed you through the crowd.

Ignoring the numerous lenses watching you and the mikes shoved in your direction, you just eyed the crowd in a withdrawn curiosity. Familiar faces surrounded you. You had seen these people before. On the street, in the news, in the shops, around the town, you had seen them all before. But this was the first time they had ever seen you. They watched you in a shocked stupor, not expecting to see a small girl like you to be brought out of the dark depths. 

It was loud, horribly loud. But you couldn’t hear a thing. All the questions, insults, wolf whistles, and cheering fell on deaf ears as your mind refused to register them all. Animals, all of them. Stuck in their own misguided, biased, and manipulated views. Pursing your lips you didn’t fight the unhappy expression that crossed your face as you eyed the growing crowd. Who did they think they were?

A flash of green and yellow caught your eyes, pulling your attention to the small opening within the crowd. With each step you took, the figure would slowly come into view, and when it did your world had almost come crashing down again. Your unhappy expression became one of shock. Your body refused to move. There in the middle of the crowd, being cooed over and pawed upon was the hero himself. The young women around him, doe eyed and hopeful, flocked around him as he graciously gave an interview with a smaller set of reporters. Feeling a gaze on him, he turned to meet it, only to be startled when he met with you.  
Before you could recognize yourself, a word escaped your lips.

“You.”

It wasn’t much of an observation. No, you had known it was him the minute they stormed in. It was more like….

Confirmation.

And in that small second of acknowledgement you could have sworn that there was no one else in that space but you and him. Between you was a wall of glass, one that had taken so long to breakdown the first time. It had grown back within a matter of seconds, thicker and stronger. 

His expression fell, his lips turning down and his brows meeting in the middle. His lips parted apprehensively as if he was trying to find the appropriate thing to say. 

The guard pushed you forward, breaking the contact and reminding you of the upper world you avoided so avidly. You watched the teen from the corner of your eye until you could no longer see him. 

He would be forever lost in the crowd. 

Forever lost in the light. 

Forever the hero. 

The people were beginning to thin now as you neared the tin can they called a transport vehicle. Titanium alloy walls lined with fire resistant, water tight, sound cancelling, padding. Small windows bared with iron and shatter-proof glass. Puncture resistant tires, with four wheel drive and the ability to give any sports car a run for it money. You knew it well. After all, it was practically part of the family. 

They opened it up, letting you slip inside before shutting it quietly. And as you watched the doors slowly close, as the light from the pandemonium outside dwindled upon your form, you saw him once more. There, far in the back was the hero in green and yellow. His masked eyes looked upon you in a steely indifference. Your gazes met once again for a fleeting moment as the doors moved to meet in the middle.

You watched the light abandon you.

He watched you go back to black.

 

The judge watched you in disgust. Her lips pursed towards one side of her face as she looked down her nose at you. You barely recognized her words. You barely understood what was happening. You didn’t even realize you had been brought before the court until now. Now as she was making her ruling. 

“Like father like daughter,” she said. “Life without parole.” 

With the strike of her gavel, you found yourself dawning an orange jumpsuit being led down the depths of Jump City’s prison. Steel enforced cement walls, and cells secured with technology infused bars capable of 10,000 volts in a brief second. Identity checks at every doorway. Cameras down every hall capable of infrared, and night vision technology. They brought you down to the third level of the prison where they kept the more intermediate criminals, the abusers, manipulators, human traffickers, drug dealers. Petty thieves were kept on the first floor, and super villains were kept at the bottom. 

This was where the scum of the city were kept.

It was your home away from home. 

“New arrival~” they sang as you moved down the hall. “Fresh meat~” they cooed. 

It seems they determined you to be such a threat to society that they put you in with the mongrels. Who knew that the government would be so afraid of a teenage girl they couldn’t control. Although, you supposed it was rather befitting of them to put you here. It was tradition for them to wipe out anything they saw as an opposing figure. 

Coming to an empty cell, the guards drew it open and you silently walked in without a qualm. It was a private cell, all to yourself. Locking you inside, the guards left you alone to listen to the animals around you. The petty lives that reminded you of your status. This was how the world viewed you after all. This was who you were in the eyes of the public. 

It wasn’t until lights out did a voice reach out to you.

It wasn’t until darkness invaded the prison did you notice a pair of emerald eyes watching you from the cell across the hall. 

“Well look who it is,” his voice was familiar in a strange way. But you brushed it off. You were sure you supplied many men in this establishment more than once. “Hey, it’s not polite to ignore someone when they’re talking to you.” 

Eyeing the shadowed figure, you watched as the person pushed his arms through the bars, using them as a brace as he leaned himself forward into the small ray of light that shone down from the one lamp that always stayed lit. His messy, dirty blonde locks fell into his face as he smirked. 

“Come on now,” he chuckled. “I’m not so bad once you get to know me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have 9 more prewritten chapters to upload. So please look forward to it! The story now begins to focus on Mecha's relationship with Red X. If you enjoy the story, and would like to get updates when they come out, don't forget to bookmark~


	21. The Schemer

The first two weeks of jail were the hardest. 

The blonde teen in the cell across from you wouldn't leave you alone, provoking you to acknowledge him by saying some of the most outrageous things. Like saying he's been inside of your condo...amongst other things. How preposterous, no one went into your condo. Well, mostly no one. And you would sure remember giving yourself to some stranger for a night. You refused to talk to him. You knew his type; the sweet talking, playboy type who always knew what to say to get the reaction they wanted. Needless to say, you wouldn't even look at him. 

The other men on this floor were aware of your presence here, and made sure you knew it. For every time they passed your cell as they were led off to the yard every other day, they would call to you, yell obscenities, or perform crude gestures that were horribly juvenile for an adult their age. But then again, you supposed their mental age stunted by year twelve of their existence. The older men, those of fathering age looked at you in a strange mixture of pity and endearment. Perhaps they were the ones who understood you the most despite your refusal to speak to anyone in this God forsaken place. Aside from the measly "thank you”s you muttered when the young guard brought you your food every day, you didn't utter a word.

The guards in charge of the prison were apprehensive to take on such a strange prisoner at first. It wasn’t every day that they were told to take in a teenage female with an affinity for technology. When the judge determined that the woman's prison was too insecure for someone of your caliber, and that your crime was too severe for juvenile hall, they had determined this was the only place suitable to house you. A five floor prison dug into the ground on the outskirts of the city was what the judge deemed as suitable for a teenaged girl like you to be sent. The prison guards had taken pity on you when you first arrived, probably because most of them had kids of their own. They provided you with an extra blanket and pillows, as well as a smaller blanket to cover yourself whenever you needed to...use the toilet. For as much as they were there to make sure you were not to escape, they at least made for some tolerable company. Aside from the fact that they treated you like an abandoned pet without a suitable shelter, they at least made an effort to make your sentence a relatively comfortable one. They didn't let you out with the other inmates for fear that something bad might happen to you, so they let you out for an hour a day after lights out to be sure all other inmates were in their cells. It was quite thoughtful of them, you acknowledged. Perhaps when you left this God forsaken place, you’d repay them somehow.

"Here you go [your name]. I managed to slip in a little extra dessert for you today." The guard lifted the visor on his helmet to reveal his young face. Pressing his finger to his lips with a soft smile, he continued. "But shhh! This is just between you and me." Briefly eyeing him from your cot as he slipped the food tray through the thin gate, you mumbled a small thanks with a nod of your head. 

"I'll be back later tonight to take you to the yard. We might even be able to stay for a half hour longer, weather permitting," he continued, straightening up his posture before giving a brief smile and turning to leave. But before he completely walked out of sight from your cell, he hesitated. Stopping completely, he turned to face you, this time with a more sympathetic expression. 

"You know," he stood rather awkwardly across from you through the bars. "I was watching the news the day they took you in. You're pretty crafty for a girl your age, don't be too hard on yourself. The Titans are a really good group of kids. You're not the first one who they managed to put away." Unperturbed by your usual silence, the man continued. "I hear Robin is trying his best to come and visit you. He's been having a hard time about it 'cause the warden isn't happy with him coming and going as he pleases. But you can bet by next week, he'll be here." He gave you a knowing smile. "He's the reason why you got caught right? I hear he's awfully popular with the young ladies your age. You just happened to fall for the good guy."

You clenched your teeth at the word. _Good_. What a stereotypical word people used to impose their outlook on life on others. What was good, what was bad; it's all arbitrary. Your determination to ignore him made the young man sigh in defeat. Pushing down his visor, he left you to yourself and returned to whatever he was paid to do. 

"Yeah, he's the reason I'm here doing life without parole,” you mumbled to yourself once you were sure he was out of ear shot. Standing from your cot, you stalked over to the bars, gripping the metal tray of food between shaking fingers. The lack of things to tinker with had you fidgeting with anxiety. Shuffling back to your cot, you sat; your unhappy grunt as you did so echoed off the walls of the small cell. Picking at the food with your fork—not particularly hungry for…whatever this was…-- you huffed sourly. “And for all the _good_ he's done, he's done some bad things too. But they don’t mention **that** in the stupid news...” 

The silence of the empty floor had you slumped against the wall, the metal tray of food forgotten on your lap. Perhaps if you had left the Hero on the beach all those months ago, you wouldn’t be here right now. Perhaps if you had packed up and moved on after the first time he showed up at your condo, you wouldn’t be stuck in this stupid cell. But you guess you couldn't dwell on it too much. You couldn't do anything about the past now...You could only worry about what was to come. 

Glancing at the hidden panel on the side of the wall, you let your mind reminisce in what it would take to unlock the cell. You had done it so many times all those years ago. But from the looks of it, they hadn’t updated the technology very much. Just a bit of rewiring like Daddy used to do, and you'd be out of here….

You could make your escape right now and no one would be the wiser...

No one would notice until you were gone. The inmates were out eating, or on the yard, and that’s where all the guards would focus their attention. You could slip out without them even knowing.

Twirling your metal spoon between your fingers, your eyes hardened in resolution. 

You could do it…

You needed to do it…

The spoon abruptly stopped spinning. With a nod of your head and a calming breath you decided. 

You were doing it.

“Don’t even think about it.” A familiar male voice jolted you out of your head making you jump in shock. Without thinking, your food, tray, and spoon were sent flying through the air and onto the cell floor. Your heart pounded against your chest like a trapped animal wanting to escape. For a second you were sure your hearing muffled and your sight suddenly concentrated on the concrete floor before returning to normal. 

“You don’t want to try it right now anyway. The guards’ll be back with the other inmates soon. You won’t be able to make it out in time.” A bemused chuckle had you turning to the cell across from you. It was the blonde guy. Growling in aggravation, you brushed your fingers through your hair. Your hands were shaking again; your nerve was gone. Rounding on the teen, you sent him a nasty glare through the bars. 

“What the hell are you still doing here? You should be out on the yard right now.”

Whistling lowly, he gave you a grin. “Well look at that, I finally got you talking. I gotta give you credit though, you held out a lot longer than I expected.” 

Rolling your eyes, you pursed your lips whilst eyeing the now soiled food. “Don’t avoid the question.” 

“Ahh, well. Jail life gets boring after a while, you know? So…” He stretched across his cot, turning on his back to look at you upside-down. Folding his arms over his stomach, his grin turned to a lopsided smirk. “…When someone smuggles a new toy, I can’t help but help myself.” You frowned when he slipped out a bright red pocket knife from within his pocket. After flicking out the blade and twirling it about above him, he hid it again, this time behind a loose stone in the wall beside him where you were sure other stolen objects were housed. “Needless to say they didn’t like that. The guards thought it best for me to stay here and lay low for a while.”

Rolling your eyes, you moved down to the floor. Putting the fallen food back onto the tray, you pushed it back through the small panel between the bars and out of your cell. You were careful to toss the spoon out with it. No doubt they would be concerned to see the spoon had disappeared when they come to collect the tray. You would get one later if need be.

The teen watched you sternly as you eyed that panel again. His bright eyes narrowed slightly as he analyzed your movements. He knew that you were comfortable with being here. He could see it in the way that you walked about your cell like you had been there before. He could see it in the way that you continuously eyed the side panel on the wall like you knew what was beneath it. You didn’t look around anxiously. You never cared to check down the hallway to see what it looked like or who your neighbouring cellmates were. He just couldn’t understand it. Your body language said you had been here before, but the news and guards had made it perfectly clear that you never had been. During his musings, he hadn’t realized how quiet the hall had become. You were no longer shuffling about in your cell, only sitting on your cot facing away from him.

“So, what’s the deal with you and the kid anyway?” The teen decided to cut the silence first. He moved from his lounging position to sitting cross-legged and inspecting you intently. “The kid,” he was referring to the Hero you realised, “said he had tracked you down in the news. But I don’t buy it. You’re much too smart for that…Unless...”

Pursing your lips you narrowed your eyes, refusing to look at him. The last thing you needed was some jail rat to sympathize with you. 

After a moment of silence, the teen popped from his deliberation startling you. You could almost see the light bulb going off in his head in your peripheral vision. 

“…You actually fell for him?" The glare in your eyes and flush on your cheeks confirmed his question making a catlike grin break out over his face. His heavy laughter followed soon after.

 **“Shut up!”** You could feel your blood boil over and the imaginary steam blow through your ears. Rounding on the teen you let your temper flare. Your face went red in both embarrassment and anger. You were already paying for your mistake; you didn’t need someone like him to rub it in your face. Feeling your ego deflate, you retreated underneath the covers to hide your shame. You couldn’t even deny it. Shuffling beneath the thin sheet, you pulled it over your head and curled up.

Noticing your retreat, the teen’s laughter died down to a chuckle.

“Awe~ hey, don’t be like that. We all make mistakes.” You could hear him stifle his laughter. “It’s just, not everyone makes _that_ mistake.” 

“Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I’ll be long gone before he can make it in here anyway.” 

The teen shuffled again. You could hear him sit up from his cot and move to the bars. 

“He really did a number on you, huh? You really think you can make it out of here alive?”

Why didn’t he just leave you alone? You couldn’t understand. There wasn’t a day that he didn’t try to talk to you. And now that you cracked and continued a conversation with him, you realized he was more than just familiar to you. His demanding attitude and speech reminded you of somebody…Some Hero you used to know. 

The buzz of the sealed door down the hall signaled the incoming of the guards as they guided the inmates back towards their cells. 

“…What’s it to you?” you replied in a hushed tone. You didn’t need the guards becoming suspicious of your activity. 

However, had you not had your blanket over your head, you would have seen the smile fade from the blonde’s face. You would have shuddered at the serious look in his eyes. You most likely would have stopped talking to him with the voracious way he leaned against the bars and regarded you…but you missed it all.

“Because I want in.”


	22. The Escapee

The grumbles given by the men as they passed were louder today, probably due to the thunder storm brewing outside. You could hear thunder crash in the distance every so often, growing louder with every new lightning strike. The inmates were growing restless because of it. You waited quietly underneath your blanket as the men left in a single file line. The sound of rattling chains echoed off the walls as the last of the prisoners bumbled through the door. The door buzzed, indicating to you that they've been locked. Another buzz resounded through the hall followed by a set of footsteps. The steady beat grew louder with every step. Metal bouncing on metal alerted you that the person who was walking was the young guard on his normal route to 

With the sound of every step, you could feel your heart drum within your chest harder. It sounded like thunder in your ears and your breath sounded like a hurricane beneath the thin sheets. Biting your lip, you attempted to even your breathing. He needed to think you were asleep or else your plan wouldn't work. You couldn't afford getting caught. Today was the day you were getting out of this place. 

The man's footsteps were silenced once they reached your cell. Metal scraped against concrete as the man slid the tray into your cell. "[Your name]," he called. 

Your heart skipped a beat at the mention of your name, but reminded yourself to keep calm. 

"[Your name], are you awake?" Breathe in, breathe out, you repeated mentally. He didn't know you were awake, you reminded yourself. 

The man gave a lengthy pause. It was killing you. A cold sweat broke out over your body. You were sure that you were quaking slightly underneath the sheets. If this took any longer, you were going to give yourself away. 

"Looks like she's out cold... It's probably for the best. I wouldn't want to be awake with him here." 

A quick shuffle, followed by fading footsteps, was heard, and with a final buzz, the guard was gone. 

Quickly throwing the blanket off you, you shot up, tripping over yourself several times in your haste to reach the food tray. The world spun nauseatingly, but you ignored it; you didn't have time to get sick. You'd just have to stomach the adrenaline for now. 

Fumbling the spoon through shaky fingers, you sat on your knees, sliding the tray of food behind you. The scent of it was going to make you toss the contents of your empty stomach. Taking a calming breath, you peeked out the bars that confined you. Your gaze drifted up and down the hall, ensuring the lack of life before you would proceed. But when your gaze locked with a pair of green eyes and a mop of blonde hair, your heart plummeted into your stomach. He sat cross-legged atop his cot, eyeing you with amused interest. There was something feral in that stare, something akin to how a cat would eye a mouse. 

"Today's the day, huh?" A happy smirk pulled at his lips. "You picked a good day.We'll have a better chance getting out of here with all the noise." 

Ripping your attention from the teen, you turned towards the secret panel on the bottom of your wall. Taking the flat end of the spoon, you inserted it into the round-head screw using it as a make-shift tool. With nimble fingers, you made quick work of the first, moving on to the next one. With your shaking hands, it was difficult to align the handle with the screw head. Taking your hands away from the wall, you slammed them against the floor partnered with a biting profanity. One more calming breath and you were at it again; this time much more composed. Lining up the spoon handle, a few quick spins, and the second screw was out. 

The teen gave a low whistle. "Well look at you go. If you're as good as they say you are, we'll make it out of here in record time." 

A bead of sweat ran down your forehead. You just needed to ignore him. 

With the last screw removed, you pulled away the metal panel that guarded the sensitive wires beneath. Biting your lip, you frowned. You didn't have the proper tool the cut them open. Thinking back to all those years ago when your dad had first brought you down here, you gave a heavy swallow. You were just going to have to do it the old fashioned way. 

Taking the red wire in your hands, you wrapped it tightly around both index fingers. With one, hard, well placed, tug, the wire snapped in half, frayed at the edges. Listening carefully, you could hear the soft, repetitive beeping on the other side of your bars, signifying your lock mechanism was running out of power. Reaching for the black wire this time, you used the same technique. With another quick snap, the wire was in half leaving sparks to dance in the air. You licked your lips once more; now came the tricky part. Singling out the red and black wires that only connected directly into the lock mechanism, you took one in each hand. 

If you remembered correctly, you just needed to touch these wires together to force a system reboot. 

**_"See, [Your name]. You touch them just like this and--" Zkkt! With that the cell door slid open on its own, giving way for you to pass through. "Instantly rebooted! So, if ever you get stuck in here again while daddy's working, you know what to do okay?"_ **

**_"...Okay, daddy!" Your younger self wiped the cold tears from her eyes and snuggled the taller man around his neck._ **

**_"Good girl." The man grinned and shuffled the top of your hair affectionately. "After all, you're gonna need to know at least this much if you're gonna surpass me someday!"_ **

"Hey, you alright over there, kid?" 

Blinking from the stupor you hadn't realized you were in, you turned to the teen briefly before returning to the task at hand. Being in this place for this long was bringing back memories you didn't want. "Yeah," you mumbled, more to yourself than him. 

Touching the wires together, a jolt of electricity ran up your arms-- something you had become immune to after a while. 

Zkkt! 

Just like all those years ago, you cell slid open with a click, beckoning you to flee. 

Standing to your feet, you gave a sigh of relief. You weren't free yet, but at least you could get out of the God-forsaken cage. 

The teen's toothy grin grew in excitement. "Atta girl, [Your name]! I knew you could do it-- Hey. Hey! Where do you think you're going?" The teen quickly jumped to the bars that separated him from your quickly fleeing form. "I thought we had an agreement. You're supposed to take me with you. Hey!" 

Turning to him in your haste to get to the door, you pursed your lips in a frown. "You decided that on your own, remember?" 

"It'll be easier if we stick together, you know. You won't get out of here on your own." 

You glared at the teen before turning your attention to the door that now stood before you. "Whatever you say--" 

A loud beep resonated through the hall, making your eyes go wide. Your adrenaline spiked through your skin, and you were sure that, had you not been stiff as stone, you would have been sick right there. The door opened to reveal the young correctional officer once more. Your mind blanked in a flash of white and your body refused to move. Blinking at your reflection in the visor, you could see your own terrified expression staring back at you. In your peripheral vision, you could see the man bend his knees slightly, slinking an arm around his back to unhitch his pair of hand cuffs. 

With an out stretched arm towards you, he made a motion for you to stay where you were. 

_Run._

_Run!_

_RUN!_

"[Your name]…Don't--" 

"RUN, KID!" 

One call from teen down to hall telling you to run had you barreling down the hall in the opposite direction with the correctional officer hot on your heels. His calls for you to stop only fueled the fire beneath your feet to keep you going. 

The silent calls of the teen inmate beckoning you to move in his direction had you doing just that. Just as you managed to pass the teen's cell, the toe of your left foot caught against something solid sending you tumbling to the floor, just out of the correctional officer's grasp. Hitting the cement, you instantly covered your head with your hands in an attempt to shield yourself. 

This was it. You were going to get caught. All this effort for nothing. You weren't getting out of here anytime soon. If anything, you were probably going to be sent to the solitary confinement chambers now with twenty-four hour watch. 

A strangled gasp, and a thunk, resounded behind you. 

When no handcuffs or man-handling came next, you furrowed your brows. You were sure you should be in your cell by now. 

"You can get up now, kid." 

Peeking your eyes open to assess the damage, you turned towards the one who spoke to you. The teen had one foot and both arms slung through the bars. He gripped the collar of the officer's uniform, the officer now in an unconscious slump. Gripping the bars with his free hand, he quirked his brow as he looked down on you. 

"Now, how about you help me outta here before anyone starts looking for the missing guard, hm?"


	23. The Actors

Using the guard's key-card, you easily unlocked the metal cell to let the blonde teen escape, only to be quickly pulled inside unceremoniously with the unconscious guard. Unprepared for the sudden manhandling, you landed on your back, side by side with the man, staring up into a pair of bemused emerald pools. The teen chuckled as a soft shade of red quickly painted across your face. 

"Sorry about that, but we couldn't have you hanging out in the open now can we?" The teen disappeared from view, in favor of moving on to strip the guard before continuing, "especially not with that camera keeping an eye on us." 

Gaining your bearings, you pushed yourself onto your knees to peek out the cell. Just as the teen had said, a camera sat perched a top the door peering down the long hall that kept you. Biting your bottom lip, you glared at the piece of technology. Cameras like that were normally easy to hack and manipulate, but since you didn't have anything to tap into the visual feed, there was nothing you could do. You could feel your frustration build up within you. You hadn't thought about your situation this far ahead. 

Turning to the teen, fully prepared to inquire about what he had planned, you almost threw yourself back in surprise at the sight that greeted you. The blonde had stripped the guard of his clothing, save his socks, undershirt, and boxers, and was proceeding to disrobe from his orange jumpsuit as well. 

Feeling your face heat up as you watched the teen pull down the jumpsuit past his waist, you furrowed your brows and held up your hand over your eyes to allow him some privacy. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" You hissed the words through your teeth in frantic confusion but didn't dare peek through your fingers to see his expression. 

"Well, they're going to notice two inmates walking about, and with a guard missing it won't be hard for them to put two and two together." The shuffling of clothing made you huff, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the situation you found yourself in. "But," he grunts," if they see a guard leading an inmate, we'll at least have a chance to get outta here. Alright, you can look now~" 

After a moment's hesitation, you peeked through your finger tips, and found yourself staring without realizing. The teen had switched clothing with the unconscious man and had cleaned up well considering the situation. The uniform fell a bit loose over his smaller frame, but it wasn't terribly noticeable. Slipping the helmet over his head, the teen grinned at you. With a hand on his hip, he flipped the visor up to give you a teasing expression. "Like what you see?" 

Furrowing your brows, you gave the teen your best glare despite the feeling of embarrassment growing within your chest. "Shut up, let's just get out of here." Pushing yourself up, you stood on your feet, fully prepared to walk out of the cell first. 

"Ah, ah, ah~ Wait a minute. We can't have you walking about free, now can we? That wouldn't look legit." Glancing back at the teen, you were met with a pair of heavy cuffs around your wrists and a playful laugh from the blonde's lips. "Don't worry, kid. Just follow my lead." 

Getting through the first door was the easiest, and as you passed check points, the guards did little to acknowledge your existence aside from the occasional glance over. This looked like it was going to be a lot easier than originally expected. As much as you wanted to run through the halls in a desperate attempt at a quick escape, the teen had insisted that you both take your time. Running would only bring unwanted attention to the pair of you, and that was the last thing that you needed. 

Slipping the key-card through the lock, one more door was opened and the blonde began to lead you through another hall. There, a bit ways ahead on the left, you recognized the heavily armed door as the way most prisoners found their way in. Just beyond those Realizing you were so close to freedom, you could feel your heart pump with anticipation. By the hardening grip the teen had on the back of your jumper, you guessed that he felt the same way. You tried hard to not look in the direction, in fear it would bring unnecessary attention to the both of you, but you couldn't help it. It was as if the door had its own gravitational pull, drawing you to it despite your reluctant protest. An abrupt yelp escaped your lips when you felt the teen tug you back to his side by your collar. 

"Where, do you think you're going?" He growled at you, a bit deeper and louder than you had expected him to. Pausing in the middle of the lobby, making sure the other guards weren't paying attention, he leaned in closer to whisper in your ear. _"You're gonna blow our cover. I'm leading, remember?"_

"Johnson!" A new voice called from the side. 

You stood stiff in surprise, your eyes wide as the adrenaline picked up once more. You hadn't prepared yourself mentally for someone to approach you. Pulling your eyes down to the floor, you could feel the colour drain from your face as the footsteps neared closer. _Don't make eye contact. Don't make eye contact,_ you reminded yourself mentally. 

You could feel the teen shuffle slightly behind you, his grip moving to your upper arm. _"Count to five then pretend to feint,"_ he whispered, before turning to the man that addressed him in quick stride. "Yes, sir?" 

Not being in a place to dispute his command, you waited like you were told, barely registering his words through your frantic mind. 

_Five..._

"Johnson! Where are you headed with inmate M5381?" 

"Sir, when I was making my rounds--" 

_Four..._

"Your **rounds** , Johnson? What rounds? I told you to retrieve inmate M5381 from her cell. She's got a visitor." 

"Right, sir. That's what I meant, but when I found her, she was tossing up the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Looks like the inmates on cooking duty might have slipped something into her food." 

_Three..._

"That still doesn't explain what you're doing with her over here, when the visitors rooms are in the other direction." The guard moved closer to the teen. "You may have been here for months, but you're still a greenhorn. You don't have the authority to over rule my decision." 

"But Sir--" 

_Two..._

"No. Boy wonder has been hounding the Warden the minute she set foot in here, and I'll be damned if I have to hear about him rant about the constitution one more time. Get her to the visitor's area. With how restless the inmates are, the last thing we need to worry about is some little spat between two hormonal teenagers." 

"Sir, I understand your concern, but she's very ill. Even if we get her to guy, she's not going to be much use. She's barely responsive. We need to take her to the nurse." 

"No! That's not--" 

_One._

Like the teen commanded, you swayed on your feet before closing your eyes and taking a fall forward. Before you could hit the floor, a strong arm caught you around the waist, making you slump back against his chest. A brief silence resounded between the two men, before the officer gave a gruff sigh followed by an aggravated profanity. "Fine," he continued. "Take her to the infirmary, I'll let the Warden and the hero know what's happened." Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall as you were hauled into the arms of your accomplice. 

_"Nice acting, kid. Keep that up and this'll be easier than we thought."_ Keeping your eyes closed, you could feel yourself bounce with every step he took. After a few steps, he gave a strangled grumble. _"If only you weren't so heavy."_


	24. The Caught

Once inside the nurse’s office, the blonde was greeted by an older male- judging by his voice- telling him to put you on the cot for examination. He did as he was told, carefully placing you on the makeshift bed as the medical personnel began their inspection. The feeling of two fingers press against your neck made you flinch and shy away from the sudden contact. Unable to see the man’s reaction, you could only guess that he was still checking your vitals as he moved his hand to press against your forehead to check your temperature. 

“What ha—!” The man’s sentence was cut off by a sudden gasp for air and a heavy thud to the ground. 

Peaking open an eye, you saw the teen standing over the unconscious body of the man on the floor beside you. 

The teen moved quickly to the locker that stood beside the nurse’s desk. Behind the metal door you could see the many medical supplies that lined the shelves. Before you could take note of everything, the teen turned back to you, a pair of clean scrubs in his grasp.

“Put this on,” he said, throwing them to you before moving on to undress the nurse. 

Catching the uniform, you nodded, fully understanding what he had in mind. You two were going to pull another uniform switch and walk out the front door. Slipping off your shoes, you pulled off the orange jumpsuit, tossing it over to the teen as you quickly dressed yourself. Stepping into the pants, you noticed the teen pause in his actions to regard you unreadably behind the visor. 

“Wh-what?” you stammered, suddenly feeling self-conscious as you raced to get the clothing over your hips. 

“Nothing,” he said. Though you could practically hear the smile creeping over his face. “I just didn’t expect you to be so willing to change in front of me when you threw that fit back in the cell, is all.” 

Flushing slightly at his observation, you pulled the shirt over your head to hide your embarrassment. “…You just caught me off guard back then…” 

His chuckle spoke more of his amusement than his words did, and it almost made you want to explain yourself. But this was neither the time nor the place. 

Once the man was dressed in your orange jumpsuit, despite it being unable to close because of the size difference, you helped the blonde pull him onto the cot, and pulled the dividing curtain to hide most of him until only his feet poked out. 

Finding a rubber band on the desk, you slicked your hair back into a neat ponytail you noticed many nurses sport when you went to the hospital. And after some rummaging, you found yourself a surgical mask which you promptly slipped on before giving the teen beside you a curt nod. 

He looked you up and down before nodding in approval. "Well you certainly look like a duck. Let's just hope you can quack like one too." He paused in mid step on his way towards the door. With his hand on the knob, he glanced at you over his shoulder with an apprehensive hum. "Actually," he added, "just let me do all the talking." 

Pushing open the door, you almost felt your blood run cold as a pair of familiar masked eyes greeted you from the other side. His pursed lips and furrowed brow told you he wasn't quite happy to hear those words through the door. With a flick of his wrist, his collapsible metal bo was extended and at the ready. 

"Sorry," he said authoritatively. Holding his bo between both hands, he set into something you assumed to be a defensive stance. "You're not talking your way out of this one."


	25. The Snitch

His face alone ignited something within you. A ferocity sparked the second he parted his lips to speak. The minute he unleashed his weapon, you could feel the inside of your chest burn with a hatred you had only known once before. You lashed out internally at the teen. Your mind spouted insults and curses in his direction, but you physically stayed silent. Speaking now would do nothing for you. Everything you had wanted to tell him, before this whole ordeal, was foreign to you now. Now every day you had spent with him, every moment you had spoken with him, every second he had been in your company pretending to be your friend, was fuel for the fire. 

You had seen your father go through this lesson before his death. You had vowed all those years ago that the same fate wouldn’t happen to you as well. Gritting your teeth, you glared at the floor. You wouldn’t allow fate the same satisfaction this time around. You were going to get out of here.

Boy wonder quickly changed his stance to point the end of his weapon towards the pair of you. It was blatant to see that he wasn't going to let you go. A frown pulled at your lips behind the mask and your brows furrowed. You could feel your mouth dry as you shook with frustration. Your hands balled so tightly at your sides that the knuckles bleached white. 

"Put your hands in the air and move back into the room, slowly." He demanded. 

Clicking your tongue against the roof of your mouth, you gave him a foul look before opening your hands, palms forward, and raising them in the air to signal that you were unarmed. Just as he wanted, you stepped back towards the centre of the room, the other teen following after you. Once you were a safe distance away from the door, the hero kicked it closed behind him, making sure he didn't break eye contact with the disguised inmate in front of you. The hero's expression mimicked yours, although you were sure the fire burning inside of you was expressed far more in your gaze. The anger was clawing at you to be free to exact its wrath, but you held it back. 

You could feel his gaze upon you briefly behind his mask before he hardened his exterior towards the teen. 

"Who are you?" 

Despite the submissive position, the disguised teen's body language oozed nonchalance. "If I told you that, it would beat the purpose of my disguise, pipsqueak." 

The hero's ears twitched at the belittling insult and an anger mark quickly appeared. "Fine, it'll be easy to figure that out once we get you locked up in your cell anyway." Moving closer, boy wonder pointed to the floor with his Bo, "Get on the floor with your hands behind your back." 

"Are you sure you want me to do that? Out of the two of us,” he gestured between you and himself, “she’s the one with the grudge.” 

"Shut up and get on the floor!” 

After a moment's pause, the older teen did as he was told, laying on his stomach with his hands over his helmet. 

Once satisfied that there would be little interference from the imposter, the boy wonder moved towards the intercom on the wall, pressed the button and alerted the other guards of the attempted escape. With a confirmation of back up to be heading your way soon, the teen ended the call and the room was thrust into tense silence once more. 

Noticing the sour expression hadn't left your face, the teen regarded you more calmly than before, though still not relinquishing his weapon. "Mecha—“

You bit your lip, fighting to keep your heart in your chest. Your anger had engulfed you so much that you could feel your arms and legs shake from trying to keep still. 

Boy wonder, shocked from your stare, tried again in a softer tone. “Mecha…We need to talk.” 

Your face didn’t betray the feeling of disgust in the pit of your stomach. Lips pursed, you tried to find civil words among the overwhelming blur of profanities before you settled on, “What else is there to talk about?”

He winced at the coldness you regarded him with as if it hurt him physically. It was as if he actually felt guilty for leaving you within these concrete confines. It was as if he actually felt remorse for casting you into the darkest depths to muddle yourself once more with the other souls forever caught in the darkness. Feeling your eyes begin to water from the helplessness you felt, you turned your glare towards the fluorescent lights on the ceiling. _No more crying,_ you reminded yourself. He wouldn’t get the satisfaction of seeing you that way. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t—“ 

Your head snapped forward, unable to hold back any longer. “Sorry? _Sorry?_ No need to apologize to a measly, good-for-nothing, filthy, soul like me. I don’t deserve the—“

“ _Mecha_ …”

“-- _honor._ I’m the scum of the earth; **selfish** and **greedy**. I’m just a weapon’s dealer who almost killed your friends,” you said. With every word that spilled from your mouth, your tone gravitated from sarcastic humility to cold abhorrence. “What would you need to apologize for?” 

The hero let out an exasperated sigh. “I know you’re angry! I get it. And I’m sorry for the way I acted before. But if you would just let me explain, you’d know that—“ 

A deafening siren startled you and all those in the room; the conversation momentarily forgotten. The red light above the door flashed, illuminating the room with a rotating, red beam. Everyone paused, confused by the alarm. What was going on?

A voice cut through the siren on the intercom. **” CODE RED. ALL OFFICERS REPORT TO CAFETERIA B FOR RIOT CONTROL. I REPEAT, CODE RED. ALL OFFICERS REPORT TO CAFETERIA B FOR RIOT CONTROL.”**

Within the blink of an eye, the blonde teen had spun himself around to kick the feet out from under the hero, sending the smaller male landing on his backside on the floor. Surprised by the sudden attack, the hero gave a startled yelp as he brought up his bo just in time to block another kick aimed at his head. The two found themselves in a stalemate, evenly matched in their strength. Even from your position on the sidelines, you could see them shaking from their struggle against each other. 

“Wh-what do you… think you’re doing…?” The hero ground out through a clenched jaw, pushing harder against his assailant. It was almost hard to hear him over the screech of the alarm.

“Sorry, kid. Not everyone likes playing by the rules.” The blonde pushed harder against the bo, resulting in Robin’s arms to be pushed back. “I’m getting out of here, whether you like it or not, and she’s coming with.” 

You could feel the hero glance at you briefly before turning back to his opponent. With an angry cry, the teen pushed hard, throwing the older teen stumbling back, giving enough distance between them so that the boy wonder could stand on his feet. Noticing that his bo was severely bent from the force the two had exerted, the teen cast it away, determining its uselessness within this battle. As the two eyed each other, you slowly began to move back to give them some room. Seeing them square up, you realized that they weren’t done until a winner was decided. So you pushed yourself into the corner. 

Simultaneously, the pair launched themselves at each other, their fists held high and poised to strike. The blows were evaded, blocked, and parried each time they were executed. It was like watching a well-choreographed fight scene, but much faster and dangerous. It was as if they gravitated between street fighting and what you understood to be some type of martial art. Whatever their technique, it was easily apparent that they weren’t only matched in strength, but skill as well. 

“You’re not leaving …if I have anything to say about it!” The hero launched a spin kick. 

“Why do you think we’re fighting?!” The disguised teen caught the hero’s leg to block the blow, and instead of throwing him back, he took hold of it with both hands, tightening his grip. Using what seemed to be almost inhuman strength, the blonde spins the teen, pulling him off the ground.

Boy wonder gave a startled yelp as his other foot left the ground and he is launched into the air, at the mercy of the older male. The teen is spun once, twice, thrice, before his captor released him, sending him careening into the wall opposite the door. Boy wonder hit the wall, flat on his back with a smack, his head snapping back from the momentum before landing face first on the floor with a groan. He is still for a moment before he struggles to push himself up onto his hands and knees. 

A soft click directs his attention to the teen kneeling before him. Before the boy wonder could even fully recover, the older teen had sauntered over, handcuffing the hero to the leg of the bed beside him. The hero blinked groggily at the cuffs, pulling experimentally at them a bit before regaining his bearings and pulling at them frantically. He pulled at the bed with his free hand, only to find that it wouldn’t budge; it was bolted to the floor. 

“Just sit nice. I’m sure someone will come and find you before the day is out.” The older male, patted the hero on the crown of his head like one might do a child, before standing and making a beeline for the door. 

“Hey! Wait! You’re not leaving!” The hero struggled frantically against the binding, the cuff clinking against the metal post. 

Taking the key card, the blonde unlocked the door, and held it open expectantly. Turning back to gaze at you over his shoulder, you could almost feel the smugness radiating off him. “You coming?”

Stealing a glance at the boy wonder, he barely managed to hold your gaze before you moving forward. 

“Mecha!” 

You paused as you held the door open, but didn’t turn back. After a moment of contemplation, you followed after the teen, the door closing and locking behind you. You wouldn’t be able to fall for his lies if you didn’t listen. There would be no future with him, you accepted that now. 

 

****

.:x[X]x:.

“She got away, huh?” Cyborg deduced as he and the other Titans arrived to find Robin chained to the post. He had called on them through the communicator the second the alarm stopped sounding. 

“It looks that way,” Robin replied as he watched Raven use her magic to set him free. “She had help from another inmate. Don’t have a description on him though. We’ll need to do a cell check. It won’t be hard to figure out who he is.” 

Beast boy, transforming back from his hound form, stuck out his tongue in disgust. “Yeah, it’ll be easier. I can’t even sniff them out! This place reeks of metal and _bad_ B.O.” 

“Were you able to have the talk with her?” Starfire, who had finished inspecting the nurse to make sure he hadn’t sustained any injuries, floated over to her team. A look of concern washed over her face. “Was she not receptive to your explanation?” 

Robin shook his head, massaging his wrist of the soreness that ebbed at his skin. “I wasn’t able to talk with her. The alarm went off before I could.” A frown pulled at the masked leader’s lips. “And she thinks that I was the one who sold her out.” 

“Well it makes sense. You were the last one she came in contact with before the police came to take her away.” Raven spoke, holding Robin’s gaze. “The strange part is that everyone else seems to think you did it too. We even interviewed the dispatcher like you wanted, and they were pretty adamant that it was you on the phone. Who would have known about your interaction with Mecha?”

Robin, picking up his broken bo, headed for the door. “I don’t know… But I’m going to find out.”


	26. The Distraction

Jump City was alive with the sound of police sirens. The loud screeching echoed off skyscrapers, announcing the panic that had manifested within the population to all who were in range to hear it. Bright blue and red lights danced off walls and reflected against windows to illuminate the night sky. The city was alive with the bustle of police vehicles patrolling the roads whilst most of the population barricaded themselves within their homes. 

**“The police continue to search for two escaped prisoners tonight,”** introduced the male newscaster as a pair of photographs showed up on the television screen. **“The two inmates who escaped from Jump City prison two nights ago are still at large. Citizens are reminded to stay inside for the next couple of days as the police do a search of the city. Their identities have not been released by the authorities, but we were able to attain their mug shots. Despite their young appearances, they are classified as volatile and highly dangerous. They were arrested for several accounts of theft, arson, unlawful weapons dealings and terrorism—“** The small television was consumed by white noise briefly before switching to a different channel. 

“Y’know, just because you keep watching the news doesn’t mean things are going to change,” interrupted your male companion. The remote in his hand and the lopsided expression communicated his discomfort. “Whether you like it or not, we’re stuck here until things boil over. With the amount of coppers out there, even I had a hard time getting around.” 

Sauntering over to the couch you sat on, he tossed you a bottle of water and a candy bar before taking a seat on the adjoining side. For the past couple of days, the two of you had taken lodging in his small apartment just on the outskirts of the downtown area. It was an old, run down building, and his place was much more…humble than yours had been, but you couldn’t complain; it was, at the very least, shelter. His space was empty, save for a small sofa bed and small television that sat upon a dusty wooden table. Where your condo was bare minimum, there was at least sign of life, where here, would you not have known better, you would have sworn it was abandoned years ago. The only ration of food he kept was a stash of candy bars and bottled water for the pipes in the building were rusted enough that the water running through them wasn’t safe to consume. 

“I just want to make sure that when I wiped our information from their database, it was for good.” Turning your attention to the laptop in front of you, you continued to monitor the several windows that were open. Despite your lack of technology, Todd— Jason Todd you had learned his name to be the night you both escaped— just happened to snatch a new model laptop the day before he had been arrested. That and hacking into the wireless internet from the dinner across the street gave you just enough resources to wipe Todd and yourself from police and jail records. “The wireless here is irregular and unprotected. I’ve went through a number of proxies, but that’s not going to do much if they have pro hackers on their side. If they have a team I don’t—“ 

“You gotta learn how to calm down, kid.” Taking a leisure swig of his water, the teen kicked his feet up in onto the small wooden table, and dropped the remote beside him. He peered at you from the corner of his eyes beneath his golden locks. His gaze ventured back between you and the technology you held before giving a tired sigh and pushing the top of the screen closed. “I swiped our files from the jail and the police station, and you got rid of the rest. All that’s left is to wait this out and presto-changeo, we can get out of here. But for now,” he gave you an easy smirk, “you need to go with the flow.” 

You batted at his hand as he ruffled your hair. Giving a huff, you complied, carefully placing the laptop on the floor beside your feet. Giving him a sour look, you cracked open your own water. 

“I’m not a kid.” 

“I might actually consider it if you stopped pouting like one.” 

Rolling your eyes, you didn’t regard him further, letting the conversation drop into an awkward silence. He had a point, but that didn’t mean you had to like it. It wasn’t that you were stuck in this small apartment that bothered you; you were used to being secluded within a small space for days at a time with the police hot on your trail. You were even used to the lack of food. You had gone through worse years ago when you were thrust into the real world when your father had passed away. No, what bothered you the most was the lack of technology at your disposal. Without technology, you lacked control; you lacked the ability to analyze the world around you, and the ability to defend yourself should things take a turn for the worse. You couldn’t rest easy knowing that you were horribly out gunned when it came to the things you specialized in most. Waiting made you anxious. You were sure you would have already tossed the contents of your stomach should you have had more stimulus. 

Feeling your stomach grumble lightly, you moved onto your candy bar. Taking a reserved bite of the sweet treat, you turned your gaze back to Todd. He regarded the television with an uninterested gaze as he too munched on his food ration. Lodging with a teen you had only just met during your short time being incarcerated, didn't do well to calm your nerves either. Despite his help during the escape, you reminded yourself that he couldn't be trusted. Furrowing your brows, you glared at the thought. No one could be trusted, no one but yourself. 

“Hey,” the teen began. His interjection broke your concentration making you regard him once more. He watched you with an inquisitive glance which you matched with your own. He gave a tired sigh before his expression turned playful. “If you’re really having a hard time, there _is_ something we could do to take your mind off things.” 

“And what would that be?” You quipped. 

He gave you a leering grin, and leaned in closer. “Well it starts with you and me on the couch. We'd begin with innocent petting and move on to— ACK!“

You halted his thoughts with a foot to the face, a large stress mark prominent on your forehead. Giving a snarl, you pushed further, kicking him over the arm of the couch and onto the floor. “Not interested.”


	27. The Failure

You watched idly on the worn down couch as the blonde teen flitted about the small apartment. He would travel back and forth from the bathroom and bedroom and back again. It was interesting watching the teen make such an effort to move around. He was usually in your position, lounging on the couch sleeping or otherwise. Resting lazily on your back, your eyes followed after him in mild interest. The smell of moisture, soap, and fresh cologne swallowed the room, making you turn your head. The smell of soap and water was natural. Despite you both being holed up in the apartment for what was about two weeks now, the smell of soap and water was natural when either of you took a shower. The cologne on the other hand…that wasn’t something he had used before. Although, it was strange—taking a whiff of the scent, you pursed your lips—there was something about the cologne that smelled familiar. Furrowing your brows, you racked your brain for an answer. Where have you smelled that before? 

Turning your gaze back to Todd, you watched him inspect his reflection in the bathroom. Nodding to himself, he pushed his fingers through his hair, slicking his blonde locks back before securing them with a hair tie. Brushing off the soft dust follicles on his clothes that fell from the decaying ceiling, the teen moved from the bathroom towards the front door. Your gaze followed him inquisitively. 

“Where are you going?” You didn’t move from your comfortable position on the couch, but it didn’t stop you from giving him an unimpressed expression. Last time you checked, the police were still out looking for the both of you.

He passed you as he moved forward, slipping on a pair of nicely polished shoes. “I’m going out to get some food.” 

Rolling your eyes, you flopped onto your stomach and rested your head against the armrest of the couch. If you weren’t so overwhelmingly bored, you would have called him out on his lie, but your lack of motivation left you only to scoff. 

He turned to you with a quirked brow at the sound of disbelief you sent his way. “You have a problem?” 

“Nope, not me.” Folding your arms underneath your chin, you gave the man a smirk. “But you might later if you keep lying like that.” 

He matched your smirk with his own, moving to face you at the edge of the couch. Kneeling down to your level, he pinched a cheek and squeezing it like one might a babe. “Look at you. You’re so cute when your jealous~” 

You frowned at his teasing, and slapped away the offending hand. “Shut your face.” 

His smile turned to a toothy grin at your negative reaction. Moving away, he gave a chortle and fished out an expensive looking watch from his pocket. Turning his back to you, he turned his attention to the front door once more. 

You rubbed at the growing red mark on your cheek. “Seriously, though, if you’re going to lie, at least do it well.” 

“What makes you think I’m lying?” He asked as he smoothed the none-existent wrinkles from his blazer. When you didn’t answer right away, he turned to you with a playful expression to be met with your own. 

“The last time you went out for food, you didn’t use your nice clothes.” 

It was his turn to scoff this time. “What are you some type of psychologist?” Opening the door, he waved his hand at you. “Just sit here and look pretty. I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” and he shut the door behind him. 

Giving a sigh, you rolled back onto your back, and prepared to take a nap. Well it wasn’t like you could leave. You couldn’t possibly function outside with the police hunting you down, let alone get around the same way Todd got around, however that was. Without tech, you were just a sitting duck. You just hoped that he wouldn’t blow his cover, or yours for that matter. As _fun_ as your time in jail was, you doubt you’d be able to escape again. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

 

****

.x[X]x.

The screech of poorly oiled hinges woke you from your light slumber, and pulling you from your sleeping haze. Your body groaned against your movement, but you ignored it. How long had you been sleeping? Stretching your arms above your head, you could feel your muscles pull against each other in a pleasurable way. Giving a yawn, you pushed yourself up into a sitting position and searched in the darkness for where the sound originated.

In the doorway, a shadow shuffled slowly into the apartment without a word and closed the door behind it. Soft sounds of shuffling followed, and the shadowy figure stepped into the light emanating from the kitchen. 

Squinting, you rubbed your eyes in confusion. “…Todd?” 

A soft mumbling reached your ears as he flipped on the lights. They were dim, but bright enough to show you the damage that had been done. His clothing was a little worse for wear, but that wasn’t what caught your eye first. No, it was the deep reds, blues, and purples that decorated the teen’s eye which garnered your attention. Giving a sigh, you ran your hands through your locks as he stumbled forward and out of his now scuffed shoes. Standing up, you hastily moved to his side and ushered him towards the couch. “What did I tell you? Lying isn’t your strong suit.” 

If he heard you, he didn’t show it as he hobbled slightly on his feet before sinking down into the worn couch. He gave a grimace, sucking in a pained breath between clenched teeth, probably from the pain of his injuries. His hair was dishevelled, pulled free from the hair tie he left with. He mumbled more incoherent things under his breath, things you couldn’t hear. Pursing your lips together, you moved to the kitchen finding a wet rag and a bag of frozen peas. Moving back to his side, you pressed the frozen bag against his swollen eye. He didn’t flinch, only raised his hand to hold it there as he leaned back. It was silent as you moved on to wipe the blood from the teen’s bloodied lip and forehead.

“Mind telling me what happened?” You questioned, testing the silence. When he didn’t respond, you continued on. “The police catch you? A jealous girlfriend maybe? Or did your first attempt at whoring yourself out for money not go so well for you?” You laughed lightly at your own joke. 

When he pinned you with an unimpressed look with his free eye, your smile turned to a toothy grin. “You actually tried to whore yourself out?” 

“Shut up.” With a roll of his…eye…he pushed your giggling self away with his free hand, and leaned on his knees for support. “I don’t _whore_ myself out, thank you very much. It’s just that…the girl I was…taking out happened to have a guy looking after her.” 

“What did he do? Hit you in the back of the head with a two by four?” 

He didn’t meet your gaze, instead finding interest in his feet. “A bat, actually… and he caught me off guard. I was this close to snatching her cash when…uh…I mean…damn it.” 

Your grin fell as you crossed your arms over your chest. “Ahh, you took her out on a date, with a five finger discount. Good job, big guy. You got away with a nice shiner, and a minor concussion.”

He gave another groan, pulling a hand down his face. “You make it sound lame when you say it that way.” 

You laughed lightly, sat beside him and offered him the wet towel—which he gladly took. “Then how would you have me say it? You…tried to steal from a girl and you got caught. It’s that simple, really.” 

He glared at you from his seat. “You’re awfully lippy for a girl who’s useless without her technology.” 

You gave him a pointed look. “Being useless without my technology is better than being completely useless…unlike some.” 

“Ughh. _Shut. Up._ Your talking is giving me a head ache. At least I managed to snag us food for the next couple of days. Which is more than I can say for you.” He motioned towards a couple of plastic bags settled at the front door with a paper bag settled beside it. 

You’d be damned if anyone tried to make you say it out loud, but you could have sworn you felt your heart soften just slightly for the boy. “That you did. Is that Chinese food?” Giving him a pat on the head, you moved towards the food. “Good boy.” 

Mumbling a violent string of curses he hit you in the back of the head with his frozen peas. “I’ve got a damn concussion, woman! Jesus!”


	28. The Scared

__

_It’s like walking through a haze._

_First you’re tinkering with your tech in your workshop, and the next second you’re sitting idly at a restaurant table. Your hands that were once occupied with repairing a motherboard were now fumbling with a napkin, twisting and turning it into scraps of paper. The white clothed table was littered with your mess, but you cared little about that. You couldn’t bear to glance up from for shaking fingers. **He** was sitting across from you. Your heart simply trembled within your chest at the thought. How could you possibly bring yourself to look up when he stared at you so intently like he did? It was an eternity of you breaking apart that napkin, tearing it to pieces before tearing those pieces into smaller pieces. You wanted to leave, but you knew it would be disgraceful if you did. He had invited you here after all. _

_Your heeled shoe tapped ever so fast against the wooden floor, creating a steady beat that you were sure he could hear. But he did nothing. He did nothing but smile your way and chuckle every so often._

_How long was he going to do this? How long was he going to prolong your agony?_

_You would shyly try to bring your gaze further up his form, but you would always get caught at the tip of his nose before you would have to look down once more. You couldn’t bear the thought of matching his heavy gaze. It bore holes into you, it was so prominent. It was as if his gaze were a living thing. You could feel it crawl over you, over your face down your arms to your hands and back up. You can feel yourself shudder. He stirred something within you that felt like fear…but warmer. It was strange. You felt nothing like it before. The strong urge to flee overtook you once more but again your body refused to move. You weren’t even supposed to be here. It would be bad if you were caught with him. If you were caught, there was no telling what they would do to you. He would be fine because they loved him too much. But you, you did not belong here. You didn’t belong in the beautiful clothes you wore. You didn’t belong on this side of town. If they caught you…if they caught you, ridicule would be the least of your worries._

_Shaking your head, you made up your mind. Ceasing your fiddling, you cast the white fragments aside and prepared to push your chair back and leave this place lest you be found out._

_The boy caught your hand in his gloved one before you could rise fully. Your name escaped his now frowning lips._

_“Stay,” he said. And you did. You made no argument and simply sat before him once more, your dress gathering around your legs. This power he had over you was ridiculous, but you couldn’t resist. He promised you freedom. He promised you a better life away from the darkness you knew. How could you possibly say no to his offer?_

_“Look at me,” he said. He took hold of your other hand and urged you to lean over the table. He said your name in a pleading tone when you did not oblige. “Please, look at me.”_  
And you did this time. His hair was an inky black, cut short and choppy. He wore a white jacket embroidered with a forest green “R” against the breast pocket. And while most of his face was exposed to you, you could not see his eyes for they were hidden beneath a pair of dark sunglasses.   
“I want you to come with me,” he ushered. He gave a reassuring squeeze of your hands. “All I ask is that you abandon yourself.” 

_You stared in shock at his words. How could he possibly ask such a thing of you? Your identity was the only thing that you had to your name. Sure you were not of upper society, but you had not asked him of such a task. Of course you wished for grandeur. Who did not want happiness? But shedding yourself? How ridiculous! Everyone knew that the most valuable thing one owns is yourself._

_“You would do that for me, won’t you? Won’t you abandon yourself for me?” The honesty and earnest he expressed gripped at your heart. Closing your eyes, you mentally prepared yourself to accept. Of course you would. If abandoning yourself was the answer to finding freedom and being with him, then you were willing to take that chance._

_Smiling yourself, you opened your eyes only to be horrified. The boy’s appearance changed, along with the scenery and everything else. He now wore a red and green uniform. His hair was slicked back and a domino mask adorned his face. Your once beautiful dress was now replaced by a green jumpsuit. Heavy work gloves adorned your hands and your goggles sat atop your head. This was your identity, you realized. You hadn’t given it to him after all._

_He stood imposingly over your kneeling frame, the two of you now in an open park. He glared hatefully at you. His grip on your wrists tightened painfully, as he pulled your arms up against your will._

_“How could you!” he yelled angrily. “I asked only one thing of you, and you couldn’t even do that!” Pulling hard on your wrists once more, you felt metal encase them. Almost instantly you were thrust against the ground, your face scraping harshly against the asphalt before you were hoisted up into the air._

_People surrounded all around you like a never ending sea. It was hard to breathe as their hands and arms restricted you, pushing and pulling you in different directions. The sky above you darkened ominously before you began falling between the sea of bodies. They tore at your hair, at your clothes, at your skin, anything they could reach. Tumbling and twirling in this limbo of people and bodies. Their shouts of insults and profanities thrummed in your ears like thunder, thoroughly disorienting you. You could feel your throat was hoarse from screaming, but you couldn’t even hear yourself. You called out to the boy for help. You called his name like a mantra, pushing against the bodies when you’d see glances of his uniform. You’d push and kick in a poor attempt to right yourself and move towards him, but it was all for naught. The bodies parted just enough for you to see that he had turned his back on you._

_Your chest burned with a heaviness you couldn’t explain. You kept shouting for him, reaching for him, but he was engulfed by the sea of people once more, never to return you realized. The second this realization dawned on you, tears sprung to your eyes. What were you to do? He had promised. He had promised you freedom. He hadn’t even given you the chance to give him what he wanted!_

_Suddenly, just as fast as they had swept you away, the sea of people cast you forward onto solid ground once more. Landing hard on your hands on knees, you recognized the cement floor you found yourself on. Breathing heavily, you tilted your gaze up to meet the scrutiny of the judge sitting atop her towering bench. She sneered down at you, sending a hateful glare boring through your body._

_“Like father like daughter,” she spat. “Life without parole!”  
With the strike of the gavel, you were sent falling through the floor as a hole opened up beneath you. Instantly your heart leapt up into your throat. You couldn’t bring yourself to scream anymore when you were fully engulfed by darkness. Only the air whipping around you was your only clue that you were still falling. When you landed, you landed upon a stiff mattress, behind the bars of a small cell. The place smelled of concrete and cold iron, nothing like the restaurant that seemed so long ago now. _

_“New arrival!” You can hear the barbaric animals screech all around you from their separate cells. “Fresh meat!”_

_It takes a moment for you to gain your bearings, but once you do, you realize that you’re dressed in an orange jumpsuit with a chain around your ankle keeping you to the wall. Trailing your fingers against the letters of your name that have been etched into the clamp, you can feel your heart sink down into the pit of your stomach. Tears stream down your face unstoppably, and heavy sobs escape your lips. Your chest hurts from your crying, but you cannot stop. Never in your life have you ever felt so alone. Why was everyone so cruel? You just wanted to go home._

_**“Hey!”** An invisible force shakes you roughly, but you ignore it. You can only focus on the overwhelming sadness that threatens to tear your insides out, and you cry harder._

_**“Mecha!”** That same force shakes you harder this time, and your world is pulsing and fading in and out. You grip your chest, trying to push whatever it was away from you. Curling in on yourself, you bury your face in your hands and sob. _

 

****

“WAKE UP!”

With a loud gasp, you are thrust out of the cell and into a pair of strong arms. You found your face buried into this person’s chest, and your arms between the two of you in an attempt to push them away.

Adrenaline courses through your veins as you look around yourself frantically. You’re no longer in the dreaded jail cell, but instead in a small, familiar, apartment sitting atop a couch. It is dark, probably night time, but you can’t tell in your hysterical state. It seemed like day just a second ago.

You take in deep, shaky, breaths in an attempt to slow your racing heart. 

“Shh,” a comforting voice coos. “Shh, it’s just a dream. Calm down.” Looking up to the owner of the voice, you recognize two emerald green eyes and a mop of dirty blonde hair in the dark. 

_It was all a nightmare_ , you affirm mentally. That wasn’t real. You weren’t in jail any more, you were safe from them.

Pulling your arms into yourself, you slump against him in exhaustion. Wiping the tears that had managed to spill, you give a few choked sobs. Todd pats your head soothingly as you both sit there in silence. It is only broken every so often with a sniffle escaping you or Todd’s soothing hushes. The two of you sit like that well into the night until you both fall prey to the exhaustion you felt and back into slumber. 

However, before sleep claimed Todd once more, he eyed your sleeping form that snuggled on top of him, and made a mental note to ask you about the dream in the morning. He was curious as to what the dream was about, and why you had called for the Boy Wonder more than once. Although, it didn’t take too much of his exhausted brainpower to guess.


	29. The Ignorant

When you awoke the next day, it was a leisurely process you had almost forgotten the feeling of. First, you were aware of your own consciousness, followed by the ease of your breathing. The fog of sleep slowly gave way, lulling you away from your inner sub consciousness and into the real world. One by one your limbs began to register in your mind from your shoulders down to the tips of your toes. Your fingers tingled with stiffness, and they curled in an attempt to be rid of it. 

With a deep intake of breath, you became aware of the world once more. Your eyes peeled open, feeling heavy and swollen, but rested none the less as your mind continued to make its connections to the rest of your limbs. Uncurling yourself from your makeshift ball, your limbs tingled with to life as they too woke from their slumber. Your body ached, and your mind was hazy. 

Rolling onto your belly, you pressed against the couch to push yourself up. At least you would have, but the feeling beneath your finger-tips had caused you to pause. The fabric was softer than the worn, scratchy material that you were sure the couch was created with. The cushions were also a lot more firm than you remembered. Blinking in confusion, you frowned at the surface you were met with. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you peered again. Ah, that was better. The blur was gone, and you could see better now. But you were still confused. What happened to the couch?

Suddenly the couch expanded underneath your hands, as if to take a breath. From beneath the blanket that covered the upper half of the couch, two lanky limbs emerged, stretching to the ceiling. They came down, one to rest atop the back of the couch, the other to dangle over the edge onto the floor. When they fell unceremoniously, they took with them the comforter and folded it loosely under their junction to produce the body they were attached to. 

A mop of golden locks and tired green eyes greeted you first, followed by a lazy smirk and a pat on the head. “Well look who finally woke up. Sleep well, princess?” 

Ah. That made much more sense than a couch magically coming to life. 

Giving a careless yawn, you pushed yourself up, detangling yourself from the teen. Scratching the back of your neck, you crawled onto the floor, careful not to accidentally press your weight into a stray limb on your way over. Laying on the wooden surface, you stared at the ceiling, too preoccupied with how nice the coolness of the floor felt against your skin to care about how you found yourself sleeping atop of Todd during the night. Closing your eyes, you rolled onto your belly and folded your arms underneath your head as a make-shift pillow. This feeling of peace was something you haven’t felt in a long time. Be it from sleep disorientation or something else, it was something to be revelled in before it was ruined. 

“Aren’t you awfully quiet now?” It was more of a statement than anything else. Shuffling could be heard beside you before his voice rang closer. “You know, it wouldn’t kill you to say _thank-you_ once in a while. Especially after a night like last night. _Damn_. You’d think I’d deserve a thanks after a performance like _that_.” 

And consider your peace officially ruined. 

Fighting the urge to roll your eyes, you lifted your head from its resting spot to send the teen a lazy glance. You weren’t quite sure what to say. If you were going to be perfectly honest, silence sounded pretty good right now. But it was obvious he wasn’t going to let it go until you bit the bait. If you didn’t, you were pretty sure he was just going to continue making dirty innuendos. 

The tension created by your irritation towards the teen had manifested as a tiny piece within your chest. Swallowing that tight feeling, a heavy sigh escaped you. Pairing a glare with a frown, you turned your sour expression towards the teen. “ _Shut up._ Are you always so chatty, or is that something you just save for me?”

The teen quirked a brow, slightly taken back from your sudden change in demeanor. His emerald eyes seemed to search you for something for a moment, but when he found nothing, he turned onto his side and regarded you more seriously. “Whoa there. Are you always so cranky, or is that something you just save for after a night of crying and talking in your sleep?” 

Really? Was he really going to test you right now?

You can feel any of the good feelings you had left toward Todd begin to sour as he held your gaze. The longer he looked down at you from his position on the couch, the more you could feel the heat bubble within your gut and burn down to your fingertips. You were beginning to get fed up with the mocking way he spoke, the air of superiority he held when he walked, the high esteem he held in himself and his skill. You were beginning to really detest his company. You were really beginning to dislike _him_. 

Disapproving of the strange space difference between the two of you, you pushed yourself up to sit in front of him. The exhaustion of many restless nights was catching up with you, aching your muscles and urging you on to push the teen to further aggravation. “You know, I think I see why your attempt to rob that girl ended so badly last week. Humor isn’t really your strong suit. You sound pompous instead.”

You could have very well left out the last biting comment, but your words would not stop. Your irritation would not be silenced. Crossing your arms over your chest, you gave a small snort. The fruit of your instigating ripened when you could almost see the irk mark that pulsed against the teen’s temple. 

He too sat up, a tight smile pulling at his lips. Leaning his elbows on his knees, he pressed forward towards you. “Pompous?” he forced through his teeth. “You think _I’m_ pompous. If anyone is pompous here, it’s you, sweetheart. You’re the one acting like you’re queen of the castle. I’ve only ever been nice to you.”

You scoffed at his statement. Not only was he full of himself, he was delusional too. “You think just because you consider yourself enjoyable company, doesn’t mean that you’re actually being nice.”

“Company!? I’m not here for company, sweetheart. You’re forgetting whose apartment you’ve been staying in, and who’s been sneaking around the cops getting the food.” 

Your own painful smile pulled at your lips as you leaned threateningly closer to the blonde. “And _you’re_ forgetting who deleted our info from the system so it would be easier for _you_ to get around.” 

“Listen here, little Miss ‘I’m-technologically-superior’. I’ll have you know that I can dance around any coppers with or without you hacking their system.”

Glaring at the teen, you pursed your lips. “If that were true, then how did you wind up in that damn cell anyway? Why don’t you answer me that, Mr. ‘I’m-a-top-notch-thief’?”

You could almost hear his teeth grind against each other as he fought to hold himself from jumping on you, and a small part inside of you swelled with satisfaction. 

“Okay, fine. So I got caught once. ONCE. But who ended up kicking hero-boy’s ass when he came to visit you the day you decided to escape, hmm? Better yet, without _me_ you probably wouldn’t even have made it two feet out of your cell without getting caught! You just stood there like a deer in the headlights when that guard came in!” 

Leaping to your feet, you guffawed at his audacity. “Excuse me?”

He met you full height, looking just as unhappy as you did. “You heard me, sweetheart.”

“I’ll have you know that I can take care of myself, thank you very much! I’ve been doing it for most of my life. Don’t think that I need your help to do so!” 

By now you both were glaring at each other, so close that you could feel his breath against your face. You only came up to maybe his nose, but that didn’t stop you from standing as tall as you could, pushing your chin as high as it could go as you huffed at him. 

His face was practically cherry coloured, contrasting the intense green of his eyes that bore down on you. His shoulders had squared some time during your bickering and his fists were clenched at his sides as if to restrain himself from pushing forward. His chest heaved with withheld words and other insults, but you could care less. You mentally dared the teen to continue on with his ranting. You were sure to give him a verbal lashing should he try. You wouldn’t stand for his sass any longer. 

When a haughty smile slowly crept upon the teen’s lips, you couldn’t help but glare harder. What could possibly make him feel so smug? It only made you burn more!

“Then why don’t you go then?” 

Blinking in surprise, you had to mentally take a step back and process what he had just suggested. “E-Excuse me?” 

His smile turned into a smug, toothy grin as he looked down his nose at you. “You heard me. Why. Don’t. You. Just. Leave? You can make it on your own with cops crawling everywhere, then be my guest and leave. If you’re that unhappy about it, then there’s the door. I’m not stopping you.” 

Huffing in surprise at his suggestion, you felt yourself deflate a bit. Perhaps you had been a bit too hasty in your words. Looking from the door and back to the grinning teen, your brows furrowed at the center and you hardened your resolve. Fine. You would show him. You’ll just wipe that smile right off his face! You didn’t need him anyway! You had outrun the police before, it wouldn’t be any different this time around. You could do it again. 

“Fine then.” With one last glare at Todd, you turned on your heel and made your way to the door. Your steps were heavy against the wooden floor, showcasing just how upset you were. 

Todd crossed his arms over his chest, his smile never leaving. “Good luck to you then. Have fun finding someone else to put up with your nightmares. Maybe if you make up with Hero-boy, he might let you off the hook and let you come back home.” 

Unlocking the door, you shot him the bird without a second glance. Swinging the door open, you gave a sour huff. He can shove his egotistical, narcissistic attitude right up his god-damn-- 

“FREEZE!” 

Your face was greeted with the barrel of one of the laser guns specifically developed for police. Jump City’s law enforcement. The familiar matte grey of heat treated steel was not something that can easily be mimicked. Looking from the barrel of the gun to the visor of the person holding the gun, you could see your own scared expression staring back at you. 

The man holding the weapon recited your whole name, telling you to not move an inch. But that wasn’t what captured your attention. The scared reflection in the visor was unfamiliar to you. Is that really what you looked like when you met with authority? Did you always look this scared? When did you get like this? When had you changed into this little girl afraid of the world? 

Biting down on your inner cheek, you frowned at the ground. Was that what you turned into? 

“Put your hands up where I can see them! You’re under arrest!”


	30. The Desperate

“Put your hands up where I can see them! You’re under arrest!” The adrenaline ignited your blood like a fire to gasoline. The tips of your ears tingled as the world around you slowed slightly, and the sound drowned out into a muffled mess. Your throat was dry and your fists shook involuntarily, but you couldn’t concentrate on any of that. It was as if everything else didn’t exist in your line of sight. All you could focus on was that horribly frightened look in your reflection. That disgustingly pathetic look of panic and horror all mixed together to mock you. And you would kill yourself before you would tell him, but in this silent moment of self-realization, you couldn’t dismiss the fact that Todd was right. You look just like a deer caught in the headlights.

“I said put your hands up!” Tearing yourself to look away from the girl that stared back at you, you were thrust back into the moment. Your ears still tingled and your body was warmer than usual, but this time you were back in control, no longer doe eyed in terror.

The officer’s partner stood behind him, his own gun up and at the ready. As the one kept his weapon pointed at you, he motioned for his partner to move in and apprehend Todd that stood within view of the doorway. With a gun pointed directly at him, Todd frowned but made no motion to move, instead raising his hands in surrender. Your gaze drifted from Todd, across the floor and back up to the officers. It was probably better if you did the same.

Slowly raising your hands up, you watched as the partner paused between the both of you, his gun passing through the doorway first as he inspected any threats in the area. A bead of sweat trickled down your temple as you eyed the firearm. Your heart beat heavily in your chest. With every single beat, the man would lean in further into the doorway and the closer you would be to the gun. 

The blood thundered in your ears. 

One beat. 

Two beats.

On the third beat you took hold of the gun, thrusting it towards the ceiling, and hooked your foot around the door, kicking it hard. Just as the door smacked against the partner and shielded you from the other officer, you slid your hand up the weapon, turning on the safety, ensuring the weapon would not go off. A startled yelp from the partner snapped you into action, and you rushed after the door, throwing yourself at it with all your weight, trapping the man’s arms between it and the door frame, his grip holding the gun in place. Pressing your feet hard into the wooden floor, you held yourself steadfast in preparation for the heavy weight of the man that was sure to force you back. Making the most of the opportunity you created, you held firmer against the gun, keeping it steady as the partner began to gain his bearings and push forward. 

Looking back, you caught eyes with the blonde teen as he stared at you in surprise. “Todd!” you screamed, almost an octave higher than usual in your panic. Looking from you to the window, he shook his head before running to your side, reaching you within a couple of strides. 

Getting behind you, he leaned against it, easing the pressure off your shoulders just enough for you to turn your attention back to the weapon. With five swift movements, the weapon was pieces on the floor and you had shoved the man’s arms back through the small opening, shoving the door closed quickly after. Todd reached over you, locking both locks and sliding the chain for good measure.

“Wait here,” he mumbles under his breath, sounding slightly winded before he ran off to the living room. 

Several hard thumps shook the door, indicating that they were attempting to break it down. Pushing back against them, you called for Todd to hurry, for each heavy push from the officers generated a loud creak from the old door. 

The floor rumbled with the teen’s return, pushing a tattered couch right at you, almost pinning you against the back wall in his haste. Scrambling over the cushions, you helped Todd flip the decaying furniture upright, barricading the entrance. 

Once that was done, Todd was off running, heading towards the fire escape. Mindlessly following after him, you realized the firearm pieces laying on the floor beside the couch. Sliding across the floor in your hasty change in direction, you tripped over your own feet as you ran back to sift through the pieces. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Todd hissed, panic clearly pulsing through him. He was already halfway out the window, ready to abandon you in a moment’s notice. “We need to leave now. If they know we’re here, there’s a good chance they have backup.” Without looking back at you, he disappeared out the window, as if to avoid the stairs altogether.

With practiced ease, you recognized the ignition compartment. Taking the piece into shaking fingers, you were off again. Practically throwing yourself out the window, you struggled to keep up with Todd’s pace. Although his apartment was only on the fourth floor, you hadn’t expected to see Todd already standing on solid ground. How had he managed to even get down there that fast? You hadn’t even heard him. 

Holding his arms out, he waved you down. “Jump!”

You couldn’t control the stupefied expression you gave at his outrageous demand. “What?!” 

He waved you down again, nodding his head in reassurance. “Jump! I’ll catch you!” 

Leaning over the metal railing, you felt your stomach rise up into your chest. Vertigo almost took you at the sheer thought of falling at that height with the assumption a mere teen would catch you. That was absolute foolishness! “You’re fuckin’ crazy!” 

“Just shut up and do it!

Griping the canister in your hands tightly, you looked to the sky to gain your bearings. This was nuts. This was absolute lunacy. He was out of his goddamn mind! 

Dad, you thought, what in the hell am I supposed to do?

The sound of the police breaking through the door was a mental kick in the ass, and before even you could register, you had vaulted off the metal platform and over the safety railing. Your heart was in your throat instantly, and your teeth ground against each other to suppress the scream fighting to escape. The wind whipped around you as you hurtled towards the ground. You were going to die.

Pain erupted across your back as you landed. Whatever you landed on, toppled over, taking you with it as it hit the asphalt. Your stomach landed in your abdomen directly after, making you want to empty its contents. Gasping, your eyes shot open, and you could breathe again. Your arms shot out around you, gripping anything stable to ground you, and make sure you were still alive. Panting loudly, you searched around you until you met face to face with Todd’s pained grin. 

“See? Wasn’t so bad, was it?” 

If you weren’t so scared shitless, you probably would have kissed the idiot. 

A searing pain against your arm, and Todd’s shout in pain snapped you out of your stupor. Turning your attention back up, you saw that the two officers had managed to break through your barricade and were headed down the stairs towards you. Another group of officers turned the corner of the alleyway, their weapons raised and in hot pursuit, calling for you to put your hands in the air. 

Without thinking, you pulled Todd’s arm over your shoulder, and hauled him up. A pained grunt rattled through his pursed lips but he pulled away, bracing his weight against the wall in a last ditch attempt to get away. 

As the two groups of officers met, severely outnumbering, and outgunning you and Todd, you pushed Todd on and turned to the officers on your own. Swallowing dryly, you ignored Todd’s call, holding onto the canister tightly in one hand as you raised your arms up as if to surrender. You only had one chance to make this work, and even if it didn’t, maybe Todd could escape without you. You had to do _something_.

The officers approached cautiously, no doubt eyeing the canister in your hand. Of course they wondered why you would be holding onto the combustion canister of a laser weapon. It would not work without the rest of the weapon. But what they didn’t know was that a good portion of what made the laser work was created with white phosphorus. It was what helped create the fire power it needed to function. White phosphorus was also utilized in the creation of war heads and other explosives, and although the amount present in the canister wasn’t enough to do any significant damage, it would suffice as a decent smoke bomb…

And just as the group stopped, just a couple of meters from you in apprehension, you hurled the canister between you and them. Instantly the alleyway was engulfed with a thick, strong smelling fog that created an opaque wall between the police and you. The officers were overcome with coughing fits, their vision and respiration horribly hindered by the smoke. And although they had overcome their fits by pursuing you and Todd once they gained their bearings, it was already too late. For when the fog was lifted and they had made it to the end of the alley, you and Todd had already disappeared.


	31. The Injured

The weight of Todd leaning over your smaller frame definitely took a toll on you, but you didn’t speak up against it. He had taken the blunt force of a laser gun to the chest, you were surprised that he was even awake. 

Your heart beat hard like a drum within your chest from all the running. Sweat escaped from every pore as you worked your body to its limits. Gritting your teeth, you ignored the burning in your muscles as you pushed on. 

“Almost there,” you whispered under your breath. Whether that was to comfort Todd or yourself, you weren’t sure. But you knew that if you both stopped now, it was very likely that the two of you might just never make it out of this place alive. 

The two of you had run through the city blindly, somehow letting your feet guide you to the suburbs. And although it would have probably made more sense to break into someone’s house and recuperate there, you weren’t an actual physical threat. With Todd in the condition he was, there would be no way for you to intimidate anyone into keeping your location a secret, and the two of you would just end up in jail once more. Being pushed into the corner, you made the executive decision to make the long journey through your underground tunnel leading to your abandoned workshop. Todd asked no questions and made no marks during this trek of your tiring escape, something that had grown to concern you. From all your time with the teen, you had learned that a quiet Todd was usually a cause for fear or concern. 

You looked to the blonde from the corner of your eye. His usually sun-kissed complexion had grown unnaturally pale and sweat collected over his forehead more than it should have for someone as physically fit as he was. His dirty blonde hair was loose from the usual pony tail, hanging limp and sticking to exposed skin. Dark circles were prominent underneath his eyes like he hadn’t slept in days, and his breathing was horribly laboured, something you weren’t used to when it came to him. He looked bad. 

His silence was definitely a cause for concern this time. 

Ignoring the pain that shot up your right arm, you took a firmer hold of the side of his pants to balance his swaying. You had depended on Todd for most of your escape thus far, and you would rather die than see your debt to him unpaid. He was right, you wouldn’t have made it this far without him, and even though your rational told you it would be easier to abandon him, your consciousness wouldn’t allow you. He got this wound because of you. You would at least see it healed before the two of your parted ways. 

Small amounts of dust and debris fell from the ceiling, dusting the tops of your heads as traffic rattled the tunnel. Your lights flickered slightly under the jostling. You hadn’t realized how unstable it had been until now. It was one of the first things you had created when you moved to Jump City. At the time you had been low on supplies and equipment, so making this was a big challenge, but you had done it. It had originally been made as an escape route which turned into an export when you developed your business. 

You gave a dry chuckle. That all felt so long ago now. You missed the feeling of technology underneath your fingertips. You missed this smell of metal and electricity. 

A pained hiss passed through Todd’s lips, and almost brought you to the ground when he collapsed most of his weight against you. Your breath caught in your throat as the nerves in your arm pulsed intensely as it had whipped forward in your haste to catch the teen. Blinking away the tears, you braced yourself against Todd using your weight to counterbalance his as the two of you gained your bearings. 

His hot breath ghosted over your skin as he leaned his head against the crook of your neck. He was shaking now, barely able to stand on his own. If it wasn’t for his soft grip on your opposite shoulder, you would have no way of knowing whether or not he was still conscious. 

“Hey,” you cooed softly in his ear. “Come on. A big strong guy like you can handle a little hit like that. When this is all over, it’ll just be another battle scar you can show off to all your girlfriends.” 

A relieved smile spread over your face when Todd gave a tired chuckle after a short silence. 

“Shut up,” he grumbled. His voice was hoarse, and he barely sounded like himself. But he was conscious and still playful. 

“We’ve got just a bit further before you can lie down. Unfortunately I’m not strong enough to carry you on my own.” 

He nodded weakly against you, using your shoulder to push himself back up onto his feet. 

You could see it now. The outline of light coming from around the door to your workshop shone a few feet from you still left on from when you had barricaded its entrance to the condo all those weeks ago. You could feel the remaining smoulder of the dwindling fire within you push your body forward with the last of your energy. You could do this. 

When you reached the door, it rose up automatically predicting your presence and let you in. Guiding Todd around the many machines and forgotten projects, you sat him against the wall away from any of the equipment. Quickly flitting about your old workshop, you turned on the lights, forgetting about your pain. Picking up an unopened bottle of water, and the first aid kit, you returned to Todd’s side. 

The teen was barely conscious, his eyelids drooped heavily and fought to stay open. Kneeling beside him, you tapped him on the cheek quickly. “Todd,” you urged, “Todd come on, stay awake for a little bit longer.” 

Bleary eyed, leaned his head against the wall behind him, but nodded nonetheless. He watched as you opened the water bottle, bringing it to his lips and tipped it enough for it to pour into his mouth. It dribbled down his chin, soaking his shirt, but you could see that he was able to ingest some with the bob of his Adam’s apple. You paused as he coughed, no doubt feeling the effects of the water parch his dry throat. And although he winced, probably due to the burn across his chest, you tipped the bottle to his lips once more. He wouldn’t recover well if he was dehydrated. The burn itself had done enough damage. 

Once you were satisfied with the amount of water he had, you set your eyes on the singed section of his shirt. He wouldn’t be able to raise his arms enough to remove that stupid piece of cloth. It would cause him far too much pain. You made quick work of the useless shirt, cutting it off him using the bandage sheers. 

You frowned at the sight of the wound. The weapon that had hit Todd wasn’t at the regulatory stun setting, which meant they had actually attempted to harm the both of you. Luckily the damage was nothing worse than a superficial burn to the skin. It was severely red and singed in some areas, but it was no larger than three to four inches in diameter. It was a heavy shock to his system, which explained why he was lethargic as he was, but he would survive. It would be painful, but he’d be alive. 

Shuffling through the first aid kit, you found a small pack of pain medication. Tearing the package open, you pressed two doses into his mouth before he can disagree, followed by more water. He gave you a pathetic looking glare before doing what you wanted and swallowed the pain killers. 

“Trust me,” you dead-panned. “You’re going to need them once I’m done dressing this.” 

He gave you an exhausted grin, his emerald eyes dull and weary. “Look at you playing the hero.” 

Taking the remnants of his shirt, you shoved it into his mouth, making sure to press it far enough to reach his molars. “Shut up and bite on this. It’ll help you get through what comes next.” 

He furrowed his brow in confusion. He starts a muffled question before it’s hastily cut off by a pained shout. 

You had begun to cool the wound with an instant cold pack kept in the first aid kit. You held it there, waiting till Todd’s pained shouts died down a bit. It was important that you cooled the area first, getting rid of any of the excess heat or energy the body might have stored from the initial blow. The pain Todd felt was easily understood as he couldn't even look at you any more. His hair was slick with sweat as it dripped down his face, and his jaw was clenched down on the shirt in his mouth. He breathed hard in an attempt to forget the pain and catch his breath. 

But this would only replay several more times as you disinfected the wound, wrapped it, and cooled it once more for good measure. By the end of the night, Todd had passed out from exhaustion. You laid him on the floor with some of the cleaner drop cloths underneath his head as a make shift pillow, before you too gave in to your fatigue.


	32. The Solemn

A pained groan made you sit up instantly, overlooking your slumber without a second thought. But as you went to push yourself up from the floor, reality made you pause in your haste as a sharp pain in your upper arm shot through your nerves. Inspecting the source of the sting, you found an irritated section of your arm, a burn that had gone untreated. Frowning, you huffed at your own carelessness. It would be irritating and painful, but thanks to its small size it wouldn’t grow to be anything more than another scar, one of the many others that mark your skin. But despite the irritation, it could be dealt with later.

Leaning on your other arm, you pushed yourself up to address the other injured body in the room. 

Todd lay on the floor where you left him last. Other than looking horribly parched, he seemed to look better than he did yesterday. When another groan passed through his dry lips, it didn’t take you long to understand that the pain relief medication you had given him had already worn off. Quickly fetching what was left of the water and the pain medication you had in stock, you knelt at Todd’s side giving him a visual once over. 

There was no blood or other type of fluid seeping through the bandages, so that was a good sign. Cold sweats were gone, and his body didn’t seem to bloat with water retention. Now the only question was whether or not the burn was deep enough to cause him some long term trouble. The design of the gun wasn’t made to do any substantial damage to the victim; however, it looked like the one that hit Todd was at a higher intensity than usual. 

“Todd?” you urged softly. “Hey, Todd.” 

At the call of his name, the haggard looking teen opened his eyes, squinting in your direction. He frowned at first, you weren’t sure if it was due to his unhappiness at seeing you or if it was the pain. The cloudiness in his eyes were gone, that was another plus. 

You gave him your best smile despite the heavy knot that tightened within your chest. “Look at that, you’re still alive. I thought you were a goner for a second back there.” 

“Really? Because I _really_ feel like death.” He choked on his response slightly, his voice raspy and in clear need of refreshment. He turned his gaze away from you in favor of glaring the ceiling. “Those damn cops rarely ever fire their guns, but when they do, they make sure their targets aren’t moving. Assholes.” 

You gave a relieved smile at the sound of Todd’s sass. His head was clear too, meaning he didn’t sustain a concussion from the tumble on the asphalt. 

“I’ve got something to ease the pain. You think you can sit up?” 

“Are you going to take me out back and end it like Old Yeller? Just so you know, I helped you escape twice now, when I clearly could’ve left you high and dry. I think you should consider that before ending what could be the beginning of a beautiful partnership.” 

Rolling your eyes, you slipped an arm under his back, making sure to brace him as he slowly sat up. “Shut up. If I wanted to kill you, I would have left you for dead back in the alleyway. I’m giving you some painkillers to take the edge off.” When he gave you a look of skepticism, you pushed a couple of pills at him with an open bottle of water. “You can take these or I can bring you to a hospital, your choice.” 

It was a bluff of course, you had no way of taking him to a hospital, and you weren’t about to sell yourselves out for such a wound. However, he sighed in defeat anyway, no doubt without strength to argue with you. He took them, downing what was left of the water too, wincing with every gulp and every breath. Todd must have quite the pain tolerance to still be functioning relatively well with that significant of a burn.

Gently pressing your hand onto his shoulder, you motioned for him to lie back down. Thankfully he did so without disagreement. Once he was comfortable once more, you moved to tend to your own misgivings. 

Taking perch at your work desk, you opened the first-aid kit, preparing the supplies before you can begin working on yourself. Taking the scissors, you tore away the soiled sleeve as it would only prove to be a nuisance for the wound later. Crushing another cooling pack between your hands, activating the chemicals within the hidden pouches, you delicately pressed it against the sensitive flesh with a hiss through your teeth. The cooling was clearly overdue as your upper arm felt strangely overheated. Judging from the sharp pin pricks of pain that ignited with the presence of the pack against your skin, you assumed there was some slight nerve damage. 

“Did you get hit?” 

You met Todd’s gaze, answering with a nod. “It’s only a graze though, so it’s not as bad. Two birds with one stone, I guess.” 

He gave a quick snort through his nose before a pained groaned. Apparently his small snarky expression did not do well for his physical well-being. He stayed in pained silence as you continued to dress your arm, disinfecting the damage with some alcohol before covering it with gauze. 

“Where are we? Some type of factory?” 

Picking up the empty water bottle, you took it to the tap to fill. “Actually, this is my workshop,” you answered over the hollowed sound the bottle made. “It’s not exactly the safest place around town, but it’s equipped enough to handle the police should they find us here.” Turning off the tap, you returned to Todd’s side taking a seat beside him. 

You watched as Todd’s eyes danced around him in awe of your creations. Equipment, tools, projects, and supplies were organized and piled almost to the ceiling. The white walls were clean, save the areas around the forge, foundry, and generator. 

“You know,” he began, still eyeing one of the larger, unfinished vehicle commissions that sat in the far corner of the room. “When they said you were a weapons’ dealer, I thought it was a joke at first. There was no way a little girl like you would run with the darker side of the city.” You scoffed at the notion of you being a _little girl_ , but let him continue on, settling for another swig instead. “It was impressive when you broke out of your cell, but this? _This_ is ridiculous. Life would’ve been so much easier if I got with you a lot earlier.” 

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but I don’t cater to common thieves.” 

Quirking a brow, he gave you a bemused smirk. “Well isn’t that very elitist of you. Only the richest of the rich, huh?” He motioned towards the water in your hand. Understanding his meaning, you handed it off, letting him pour a small amount past his lips before returning it. 

“It’s not really elitist… It depends on how you look at it. Common thieves don’t have the money for the things they want, and a girl’s got to make a living.”

“Yeah?” He pursed his lips and frowned at you, clearly unhappy at the discrimination, taking it a bit more personally than you had expected. “What makes you think that?”

Meeting his heated gaze with your own dull one, you offered a sympathetic expression. “Well, for one they’re stealing things they can’t afford.” 

Instantly the teen deflated, realizing that, despite his pride, you had a point. “Touché.” 

A tired silence cut between the both of you again. It was filled with his labored breathing, a pause to catch his breath. Taking pity on the guy, you were about to suggest that he go back to sleep, but he insisted on fighting the urge to give in to the fatigue. You wouldn’t argue with the teen. If he wanted to stay awake was his business. Besides, you were sure somewhere in the medical books it said it was beneficial to keep an injured person awake as long as possible, but you weren’t an expert in medicine. Judging from the half-lidded gaze, he was bound to fall asleep sometime soon anyway. 

“Why tech?” he finally asked. His voice wasn’t demanding, instead leaning towards innocent curiosity.

His question caught you off guard though. “I’m sorry?” 

He didn’t turn his gaze to you, only continued to stare at the ceiling in a haze. “Technology. Why’d you get into making it and selling to both sides? You were friends with that hero-kid, wouldn’t it have been better for you to just work with him permanently? You could’ve avoided a whole lot of grief.” 

Giving a sigh, you weren’t sure if you were releasing some tension or keeping it down. What an intimate subject to talk about. Leaning your head against the wall, you contemplated whether or not you should let him know. Not that any real reasons came to mind to argue whether you should or shouldn’t, but you couldn’t ignore the hesitation you felt whenever that type of topic came up. 

When he turned to look at you expectantly, you could feel your inner quarrel intensify. From all that has happened to you within the last few weeks, you couldn’t possibly fall any further than you already have…

“Do you want the long or short version?” you found yourself asking. 

He deliberated to himself before speaking again. “Might as well air out the dirty laundry if we’re going to be spending so much time together. It’s not like I’ll be leaving anytime soon.” 

You nodded solemnly. He was right. The tension between the two of you had been detrimental when push came to shove, even if you both managed to still get away alive. But if the two of you were going to get anywhere, there had to be some amount of trust, no matter how minuscule it might be. 

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours,” he added as if to assure you. 

Yeah. This was probably best.


	33. The Kindred I

Speaking about yourself was a lot more difficult than you had expected it to be. No matter how many times you had gone through the story in your head, you couldn’t find a suitable place to begin. Biting your lip, you began to twiddle with your fingers, a nervous tick you had developed when you were a child. Todd didn’t pressure you when you didn’t start immediately; instead, he lay patiently waiting for you to speak. But you supposed there wasn’t much else for him to do considering the circumstances. 

You could feel your bottom lip quiver slightly in frustration. Every time you would try to speak but no words would come out. Every time you would try to begin, all your nerve would vanish and your tongue would knot itself. You had never had such a problem before, so why now? 

Taking a deep breath, you steadied yourself. 

Todd seemed to take your silence as reluctance though, and spoke ahead of you. 

“I never actually got to know my parents. They died when I was young in a trapeze accident, at least that’s what my foster mom said. My family was part of a travelling circus, I guess. Their friend, my foster mom, ended up taking me in after they passed. I was in her care until I was twelve. We were so poor that I had started stealing things from markets and stores just so we could eat. I guess you could say my thievery started at a young age.” He smiled with a faraway look on his face. “A lot of the time we slept on the streets because the shelters were too full. She was really smart though, and taught me how to read and write, but most of the time she liked talking about astronomy. She was even able to get money through tutoring university students sometimes. At night, when I couldn’t sleep, she’d often tell me stories about the universe—how it was created, what it’s made of, how many planets there are…”

Without thinking, the words left your lips before you could sensor them. “What happened to her?” 

When the teen grew silent, regret began to fester inside you. It was insensitive to speak that way about someone he clearly cared about. “Sorry,” you said. “I didn’t mean—“ 

“She died.” 

His words hit you like a shot to the stomach, and your breath left you as if it were an actual physical blow. Looking to the floor, shamefaced, you wanted to take it back. It must be a painful memory to remember. But in your tired state you couldn’t shut your mouth; you just kept talking. 

“I’m sorry…for your loss.” 

He didn’t even look your way, just kept staring at the ceiling as if the ghost of his past was replaying up there for him to see. When he registered your apology, he simply shook his head. “Don’t be. It’s not like it was your fault. Cancer does that to people.” 

His words did nothing to ease you, though. How could it be possible to feel better when he was clearly hurting?

Suddenly he cracked a smile and chuckled. It was sad and melancholy. The sarcastic playboy wasn’t present here. This was the side of himself he kept hidden away from the world. The side that was so deeply affected by what’s happened. He had been dealt so many bad cards that he didn’t care to look for others.

“It’s funny, really. We had finally found a place to stay, it was small and run down, but it had a bed and some blankets to keep her warm. In her last few hours, she kept saying that it was karma that did her in. Eventually she stopped talking to me altogether and was mumbling apologies to my parents. I didn’t understand at the time, I just thought it was the cancer making her delirious.” 

He paused for a moment, but you didn’t dare look at him. The quake in his breath was all that you needed to know that he was on the brink of crying. There was something inherently heartbreaking about a man about to hit his breaking point. Facing the other way, you would give him the privacy he’d need to save face. 

“It—it wasn’t until after she passed did I find out… the day of the accident, the woman who had given me a second chance of life…she was the same one who took it away the first time. The woman who raised me…the one I trusted with my life…the one who cared for me more than anyone else…” Todd choked back a sob. “She was the one who killed my parents. She was jealous of my mom, and angry at my dad for breaking her heart. She killed them to get even…and then when she realized what she’d done, she took me in to try and compensate. 

“But you know what I hate the most about it all?” Looking down at the floor, you did your best to ignore the shaky breaths he gave. “That despite all the good memories I have of her, and all the rationalizing I’ve done, I can’t forgive her. Deep down, she’ll always be the one who destroyed whatever future I had because of something stupid like love….or whatever she thought was love. I figured that, if everyone acts just as selfish as she does, why not beat them to the punch, you know? It’s a dog eat dog world out here. Only the best survive.”

You nodded in solemn agreement. You knew far too well what he spoke about. Every person you’ve met in your life had proven themselves not worthy of your trust. Your heart went out to Todd. His past was one of the most tragic you’d heard. Nothing you could say would comfort him, his scars ran deep. You could only offer your company, your sympathy, and your compassion. 

Curling a fist, you fought to find the strength you needed in order to give Todd some type of reciprocation for his honesty. You owed him at least that much. Once the teen had composed himself, you took a calming breath and began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of the background stories. I wanted to split it up so that it wasn't just a whole lot of long winded angst and each background story had a bit of room without combating each other for attention. If you guys have questions about the changes I've made to Todd's past, feel free to let me know. Other than that, I'm just going to let it sink in.  
> 


	34. The Kindred II

“…When I was a kid,” you began with a sigh, “I grew up with my dad. My mom had left us a short time after I was born, so I don’t remember her much.” Suddenly feeling self-conscious, you brought your knees up to your chest, holding them close to you in your arms. It had been so long since you recalled this story in its totality. There was a part of you that simply wasn’t sure it was real, or that it happened at all. It all seemed so far away now. 

“We lived in a big city at the time, and since everything was so expensive, it was hard to get by on one paycheck. My dad was able to save some money by homeschooling me, but as much as he meant well, he really only focused on math, physics, and stuff like that. He was an engineer for the government at the time, and technology was his specialty.” You smiled fondly at the memories of sitting on the bus early in the morning with your father on his way to work. Whenever you would pass another vehicle, neon sign, or some type of manufactured technology, he’d always take the time to explain to you how they would work. If they were things he was especially interested in, he would often go into enthusiastic bouts, never leaving the topic until he was too engrossed in his work to continue on. Perhaps that was where you had developed your dedication to your projects from. 

You chucked sadly at the thought of your father’s meanderings, startling Todd in the process. “Actually, in retrospect, I think he did that just so he had someone to share his passions with. Although there weren’t many times I can remember him without a smile on his face, I think he was really kind of lonely. Aside from me, there wasn’t too much human interaction, what with being stuck in a workshop for most of his days.” He worked himself away really, toiling at his projects without thinking of his own wellbeing. 

Catching Todd’s attention with an encouraged look, you blinked in realization. “You might be familiar with some of the things he’s made. He developed a lot of the police issued firearms, suits, and vehicles you see around the country.” 

Todd’s brows furrowed as he looked at you incredulously. “You mean to tell me that you’re the daughter of some famous developer that was employed by the government? You’ll have to forgive me, but I find that hard to believe.” Before you could make a jab at the teen for what you were sure was his poor attempt at a joke at your expense, he clarified. “I mean, I’m not doubting you, it explains how you knew how to escape the jail so easily…but shouldn’t you be living in some lavish penthouse, attending political parties, and worrying about attending the best college money can buy? How the hell did you end up here? Mingling with the bad guys of Jump City….it just doesn’t make sense.” 

His candid curiosity made you smile fondly at the blonde. In spite of the hard front that he put up most of the time, it was comforting to know that the childlike innocence in him still resided somewhere deep down. 

“You would think so,” you agreed half-heartedly, shrugging with indifference. Not that you were one for that type of life anyway. You liked to think that even if everything did work out differently than they did, you would have turned out the same technology-loving hermit that you were. “But we didn’t even have a chance at that type of life before it was all taken away. He was sent to jail just before my 7th birthday. My dad became the scapegoat for a double-dealing gone bad. His superiors had been selling the technology to other countries illegally, and when the authorities found out, they pinned it on my dad.” You took a hard breath and buried your face in your knees. You could feel yourself quiver as the supressed emotions began to flood through you again. Every time you thought about what happened to him, you were reduced to a useless bawling puddle. Fighting back the tears, you could feel your throat constrict painfully, making it difficult to breathe. 

Suddenly the image of your father smiling telling you it was going to be okay as he was taken away by the police invaded your mind, and it was all that was needed to break your heart all over again. The tears broke through their prison, cascading down your cheeks and marking your grief as they went. He didn’t deserve what happened to him, and it hurt you deeply knowing that you weren’t able to do anything for him. If anything, you had probably only caused him misgivings, and the thought of being the cause of even some of his pain amplified your anguish almost tenfold. It physically hurt to bite back your sobs, but you were going to try your damndest to withhold yourself from making such humiliating noises. It was not for sake of saving face for later, you couldn’t care less of what Todd thought about you now, but you had sworn to stop crying over your past many years ago. 

“He died, didn’t he?” Todd cut through your crying with a guess. Although, it wasn’t so much of a guess as a deduction on his part. Todd had seen enough examples of those who had lost someone dear to know the telltale signs. All you could do was nod and offer him a meek confirmation between trembling snivels. And Todd said nothing as you tried to compose yourself, just letting you take the time you needed until you could bring your head up once more. 

“H-he died a couple of days after being sent to prison. They s-said there was a mistake in the paperwork, and instead of being in solitary confinement, he was sent to a shared cell with three other inmates.” Clearing your throat, you forced the shakiness down and wiped the last of the tears from your tired eyes and glared at the floor. You had found out some time after the death of your father that those same superiors had bribed some of the guards to send him to that cell. They had planned it out from the beginning. “They killed him, beat him to death during the night after lights out….”

You had to let your own words sink in. You hadn’t actually heard yourself say it out loud before, and there was something strangely final about it all that almost made you want to cry all over again. But thankfully you didn’t, instead opting to brace the back of your head against the wall behind you and give another great sigh. 

“I’m sorry…” Todd offered quietly. His voice was gentle and seemed to offer genuine sympathy for what had happened. It helped to soothe your frayed nerves quite a bit. “Your father seemed like a decent man. I’m sorry that those were the circumstances concerning his death. Those people got what’s coming to them.”

You laughed bitterly at his words. He didn’t even know the validity of his statement, and it was ironically funny to you. For it wasn’t until years later, after you had escaped those damn child care workers that you were able to do some digging into figuring out who exactly those people were who had sent your father to an early grave. 

“They’re all dead by now,” you began offhandedly. Todd quirked a brow and sent you an expression that implored an explanation. “Not literally speaking, of course,” you added “but I’m sure they wish they were by now.

“You know, one of the very first things I learned on my own was hacking? A group of hackers had taken me in as a lap dog not long after I was orphaned, and in turn they taught me the tricks of the trade… I used it to get revenge on the people who killed my dad all those years ago, not just the inmates, but his bosses as well. I had gotten my hands on their bank accounts, social security numbers, everything. And once I was done draining them for every penny they had, I stripped them of every form of identity they thought was theirs. They lost their identities, their belongings, and their livelihoods, and they were technically understood to be dead in the eyes of the government because I had labelled them deceased in the records...Within a year I had completely destroyed the lives of five people…It’s funny…what hatred drives a person to do…” 

“I don’t think it’s funny…” Todd frowned at the ceiling, contemplating how to appropriately address your brutally honest confession. “You were a scared and hurt little kid, who was backed up into a corner. Everything you knew was taken from you all at once, so I can understand your anger. Honestly, if I was in that same situation, I couldn’t imagine me doing something different. It’s a dog eat dog world, and you just happened to live long enough to give them back their helping of karma. Some people would pay for that kind of sweet revenge.” 

Todd’s words made you feel a lot better. Although you never regretted the decision of doing what you did back then, it felt good to know that at least one other person on the planet felt the way you did. You never discussed what you had done to those people, it was a blemish that you didn’t like to talk about. After that ordeal, you had never used your hacking skills to play with someone else’s life again, and you swore to yourself that you never would. You supposed that it was what you had done to those people that made it feel almost wrong when you tried to become some type of do-gooder. It would not doubt make it hard to function when the hypocrisy of it all would be sitting in the back of your mind. 

“It seems that we have a lot more in common than I first thought,” Todd smiled to himself, shaking his head slightly. He seemed to look a bit better now. 

“That’s scary, to think that I would have something in common with _you_ ” The atmosphere was lighter now. The heavy burdens that you two held on your shoulders were gone , only leaving the two of you in a strange weightless relief. 

“Hey!” Todd shot a playful frown your way, but it soon turned into a smile that you returned. “You know, I think this is going to be a great partnership.” 

It was your turn to send the blonde a confused expression. This was the first time you had heard about any type of teaming up on your part. 

Almost sensing the unsaid question on your tongue, the teen continued. “It would make for a great comeback story, don’t you think? Two kids, whose lives are wracked with nothing but disaster meet each other in the most unlikely places, and begin to work together for a better future. Sounds like a winner to me.” 

You laughed, this time a genuinely happy laugh. It didn’t sound like a bad idea at all. “Whatever you say.”

.  
.  
.  
“Hey, if we’re still sharing,” Todd added timidly. “…I think I owe you money…”


	35. The Jester

There is a brilliant blue sky above Jump City. It’s warm, but not humid, the perfect day. Yet it would not be a typical day within the metropolitan city without some type of commotion involving the young team of super heroes within its borders. 

“Titans, go!” With one phrase from the Boy Wonder, the team was off, rushing after a small group of Slade’s androids. Although there was something different about the team today. 

A young girl, no older than thirteen, ran alongside them. She looked ordinary at first, though her blonde hair and blue eyes made her look to be from the west coast, and she seemed far too thin to be any type of physical fighter. But it was then, when her eyes glowed a molten gold did her secrets come alive. 

A large chunk of the concrete below her feet became dislodged, strangely due to some unseen force, and suddenly she was flying through the air. She had the power of geokinesis. 

She travelled fairly quickly through the air, far faster than anyone might anticipate. One of the droids turned, a laser gun held in its fingers, and opened fire on the young blonde in an attempt to shoot her out of the air. She blocked them by pulling the stone up, letting it take the brunt force of the attack. When the droid didn’t end its assault, the girl gave an aggravated growl, and with one wave of her hand, sent a shower of earth and asphalt in its direction. It did well to send the droid flying, but the young girl hadn’t noticed a little old lady within the path. The woman made a small squeak in fright, dropping her groceries on the sidewalk. 

“No! Stop!” The blonde teen screamed, her hand outstretched towards her attack in an attempt to enforce her will, but it would not do. The attack continued on, and would do so until all the energy was expelled. The girl was powerless to stop it. 

Just as the oncoming wave was about to reach the elderly woman, a green mass stepped in its way. Its form shifted far too quickly for the normal human eye to register, and before the woman could tell just what it was, it grew twenty times its size into a stegosaurus. Its knees locked, leaning forward into the attack just as it hit, shielding the elderly woman from any damage that might come to her. It gave a mighty groan at the initial hit, but when it had successfully fought off the assault, it shook its massive body of excess debris before giving a triumphant snort. Its body shifted quickly again, back to its original small size, and now before the elder was a young twelve year old, green boy. He picked up the woman’s fallen belongings, carefully placing them back into her thin arms and gave her an apologetic smile. 

“Sorry about that, Ma’am! You’re not hurt are you? She didn’t mean it, really!” 

The woman was quiet at first, her eyes large and shaking. She breathed hard, taking a step back in fear. 

“H-hey, I’m not going to hurt you…” The teen looked dejected, as if he had been slapped in the face. 

Coming to her senses, the woman shook her head, giving the boy a nervous but grateful smile. “O-Of course you won’t. You just saved me after all. Our city is lucky to have young heroes like you to look after us. Run along now, I’m sure you’re busy.” 

The teen quirked a brow, frowning slightly at her strange demeanor. There was something awfully strange about the lady, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. 

“Hey, have we met—“ 

“BB, let’s go man!” The call of his older teammate prompted Beast Boy to turn his attention elsewhere. 

Giving the woman one last curious glance, he gave her a salute with a polite goodbye before shifting into a bird and flying off to catch up to his companions. 

The woman stood there in shock for a few minutes more, watching the teens as they sped off. Once she was sure they were a safe distance, she turned away running down a dark alley way with the speed of someone not of her age. Huffing through her trek, she took several turns, careful to avoid being seen too much by those in the open streets. She only slowed when she approached the side of a large condo deep in the streets of the downtown core. Taking a careful look around to assure there was no one to see, she removed one of the bricks to reveal a key pad. Pressing the four digit code, a green light flashed to show its approval before a narrow staircase opened up beneath the asphalt beside her. She took one last look around before replacing the brick and descending the winding stairs, the invisible door sliding shut behind her. 

Her trek was lit by small lights that lined the cement walls, giving the tight space an ominous glow. There was barely space for her and the bags to fit. After several twirls down the rickety steps, she was faced with another door, this time armed with a longer, more complicated code. She pressed in the combination with ease, though, as if she had spent years memorizing it, and within less than a minute, the final door was open and she was greeted with a warm light. 

“Took you long enough,” a playful voice answered. The blonde teen smirked as the elderly woman rolled her eyes, setting the bags down on the work table. “Was it fun running around above ground while I’m stuck here alone?” 

“Loads,” she responded, unpacking the bags to reveal fruit, meats, and other essentials. “If your definition of fun is almost getting killed by some girl who can’t use her own powers.” 

“Ouu~ you run into a new baddie in town?” 

The older woman shook her head, “A new Titan, actually. At least I think she is, she was running off with them towards the factory district.” 

“Ohhhh, so you met up with your knight in shining armour and his band of merry do-gooders? Is that why you’re in a bad mood? I don’t blame you, meeting up with old friends that betray you can do that to people.” The blonde pushed himself up into a sitting position off the floor. His upper body was bare, save the bandages that were rolled across his chest. It had been over a week since the initial hit with the gun, but the teen was beginning to heal well. 

“Will you shut up?” 

“Maybe, if you give me a kiss.” The teen winked, partnered with a smirk before it fell when he looked at her more closely. “But take off the disguise first, it makes me feel like I’m hitting on someone’s grandmother…” 

Rolling your eyes, you pressed the center of your belt to reveal your true form beneath the guise. “I think I might keep it on a bit longer if it means you leave me alone.” 

He raised his hands in the air, signifying his surrender. “Sorry, but I don’t plan on going anywhere fast, especially with this on my chest.” He pointed to the center of his bandages. 

You huffed at his haughtiness, throwing an apple his way to get rid of some of your aggravation. “Then you better eat up and regain your strength. The faster you heal, the faster we get to split ways.”

He looked unimpressed with you, but took a bite of the red fruit anyway. “You know,” he said between chews, “that’s not a smart idea. I still think we’d make a pretty good team, and I still have to pay you back the money I stole.” 

Taking a bite of your own fruit, you glared at the memory. You had looked at the camera footage of New Year’s Eve, and found that Todd had actually spoke the truth. There he was on your computer screen, slipping his hand down the front of your top to grab at the bills beneath. Your cheeks flared up at the thought. To think he had the audacity to take advantage of a girl while she was clearly in no shape to defend herself. It made you angry and embarrassed all at once. What the hell were you thinking that day? You couldn’t even remember. But you do remember the panic you felt when you woke up to a week’s worth of earnings gone. 

“Hey~ are you thinking about that night?” The leering way he spoke insinuated a bad situation had anybody else heard it. “I already said I was sorry.” 

Your shook your head in shame, your face a shade darker. “Wow, you are really something else.” 

“I know, right? I’ll never understand why I’m still single.” He drew his bangs back with his free hand, giving you a playful smile, which you returned with a dry expression. 

“I could give you a few reasons.” The unenthusiastic look he gave you almost brought a smile to your face. That look didn’t last long before his traditional playful smirk returned with his retort. 

“Ahhh, I see what’s going on. You like me don’t you?” You almost choked on the water you had taken a sip of, looking at Todd with a baffled look on your face. “You don’t have to hide it anymore, it’s easy to see. That's why you’ve been taking care of me all the time, isn’t it?”

“N-No, I don’t—“

“It’s okay. I understand. You’re going to continue to play hard to get. I guess I’m just going to have to stick around until you can finally admit your feelings for me.” 

You took a seat on a stool, resting your head in your hand as you leaned your elbow against the table top. “It seems like no matter what I say, you’re just going to do what you like.” 

He stopped mid teasing, and looked at you in half seriousness. Shrugging his shoulders, he took another bite of his apple. “Pretty much.” 

You chuckled at his antics, and in this moment, no matter how annoying you found him, you were grateful. The tension you had felt when you had first returned was gone, and it was thanks to Todd’s easy going attitude that it happened. It was the small instances of liveliness like this that made life just a bit easier to bear. The two of you knew just how hard life could be on your own, and finding someone to share in that burden was a load off each other’s shoulders. 

You wouldn’t realize until late, just how grateful you would become for these small instances of peace. For soon, your life would be riddled with enormous hardship.


	36. The Villain II

There is a brilliant blue sky above Jump City. It’s warm, but not humid, the perfect day. Yet it would not be a typical day within the metropolitan city without some type of commotion involving the young team of super heroes within its borders. 

Within the confines of your workshop, now makeshift living space, you sat atop a stool with your table being the only illumination. Todd was sleeping in his corner, a few thin blankets that you had bought a few days ago swaddled around him. The teen slept in relative peace, but every now and then you would hear him groan. He put on a brave face while he was awake, pushing through the pain like it was nothing, but he couldn’t hide behind his farce while he was asleep. The grimace on his face and the laboured breathing told you that the burn was a bit deeper than he let on. So you would take care of him this time, getting the food and bandaging the wound. You could do at least this much for him.

Turning to your laptop, you accessed the projector and flashed the image on the white wall in front of you. It showed you the camera feeds that you had hacked into throughout the city, each feed switching to the next after a few seconds. You had often put this on when you felt lonely during the days you worked alone, though those scenes felt even further away. When the feed of the river showed next, you couldn’t help but pause it. It was a beautiful nightscape, a calm river reflecting the faint speckles of light from the stars above, and in the middle of it all Titan’s Tower stood illuminated against the darkness. The romantic view was somewhat enchanting. 

Looking at this scene used to bring you a strange gleefulness. It was a sight that used to cheer you up, something you had kept dear to you, but now you felt nothing but inexplicable emptiness. It didn’t anger you like it used to, you weren’t even upset; you were just tired. Tired of running, tired of being the person in the dark, tired of being overshadowed by those in the tower. You wouldn’t be able to integrate yourself as a normal part of society anymore, at least not as the way you were now. You knew that from the beginning though, that wasn’t a surprise. But as you watched the lights twinkle in the water, you could feel the disconnect. There was something about this city that didn’t feel like home anymore. You didn’t belong. 

Turning away, you glanced at Todd, his face calm now. After Todd recovered, and you both went your separate ways, you would probably move onto the next town. Would you start anew? You weren’t sure. It didn’t seem like you had any other option though. Perhaps this time you would save up your money until you had enough to go see the world. That didn’t seem too awful. 

Twirling the screwdriver between your fingers, you moved back to your small project. You were creating a second holographic belt for Todd when he healed. There was no doubt that he was a talented thief, but you could at least give him a small trinket to show your appreciation. He had gone through quite a lot because of you, and it would be a lie if you said that you didn’t feel guilty. If it kept him out of trouble at least once, that would suffice. You owed him that much. 

Suddenly, white noise filled the room, startling you from your work. It was blasting from your laptop, an anomaly that wasn’t physically possible.

“What the…” 

Clicking the keys on your keyboard to force a reboot didn’t work. Not even pressing the power button would shut it off. Then, just as you were about to release the battery from its compartment, the screen went black, save a familiar silver ‘S’ with a black and orange background split down the middle. 

It didn’t take you long to remember just who that emblem belonged to, and you realized right away that this was no virus. If only it were that simple. 

The hairs on the back of your neck stood tall, tickling your skin. You could almost feel a cold sweat break out as your body temperature fell dramatically. It was an awful feeling. 

“Hello, Mecha.” His voice was smooth and unwavering, but there was something strange behind his greeting. It was as if he had just said a silent joke to which only he knew the punchline. It put you on edge. 

You grit your teeth in an attempt to hold your composure. This man had given you bad vibes the very first time you met him, but after seeing what he was capable of, a part of you was afraid of getting mixed up with his plans again. He was clearly a ferocious man, hell bent on causing havoc. 

“And so we meet again.” You gave him a curt nod. “Do you require another round of android repairs?” A part of you hoped that it was the only reason he came searching for you.

He gave a bemused laugh. “Yes, amongst…other things.” He tilted his head slightly to the side, watching you ever so carefully through that one eye. “Actually, I’m quite surprised that you’re still within the city. The news of your escape have flooded all forms of media as of late. I would have assumed you would have left by now.” 

“Yes…Well, I still have some unfinished business to complete before I continue on.”

“Oh?” The interest in his voice made you skeptical. “And that business wouldn’t relate to the Titans by chance, would they? They were the ones who betrayed you after all.” 

You glared at the man, unhappy with his prying. He lived up to his title of villain. He wanted to know everything about everyone as to manipulate them to do what he wanted. It was disgusting. “Did you contact me to discuss my plans in life, or are you going to get to the point?” 

His eye narrowed slightly, and you weren’t sure whether it was due to glee or unhappiness. “Of course. I was just thinking that perhaps our interests are one in the same, but I suppose that can wait for another time.” He paused in his speech, moving slightly behind his camera. Soon, several files appeared on your screen, downloading themselves into your system without your permission. “I have big plans, you see, and big plans involve a lot of….bodies. I have begun the makings of an android army, but the only problem with androids making other androids is, well, consistency. You may guess that I’m a very busy man, and I can’t overlook everything. This, my dear, is where you come in. You know these designs as well as I, and I trust that you would be capable of overseeing that they are done properly.”

You opened the files once they were complete. He had sent you the schematics of two androids, one was similar to the ones you had created for him last time, but they were created with a denser metal, and thicker armor. The second set of schematics was of a larger android, specific for battle. It was heavily armored, with a combustible core, and a larger rotating camera within its head instead of the normal stationary two. 

These designs, while more heavily armored and complicated in terms of artificial intelligence, was still fairly simple in terms of design. He already had the blue prints and the technology for the artificial intelligence, so it wasn’t difficult to create copies. The bodies were almost just as easy as they were all simply parts to put together. With the simplistic nature of the project, creating a hundred androids could be done within several days with his resources. You didn’t understand why he needed you to oversee the production. Just how many of these androids did he want to create?

You parted your lips, about to decline, when he continued. 

“And of course, you will be paid heftily for your work.” 

That made you reconsider. 

“How much are we speaking?” 

You could almost hear the smirk beneath his mask. “Would double your last fee suffice? Of course the materials needed for the projects will already be provided, and you may be called upon for one or two other projects until my plans are complete.” 

“And when do you think everything will be finished by?” 

“That remains to be seen; however, I assure you, you are free to go once your side of the bargain is finished to my satisfaction.” 

You sat quietly for a moment, no words to say. There was just something that churned within the pit of your stomach that said there was something wrong with this situation. There was something he wasn’t saying. 

“With your resources running low, I don’t believe you’re in any position to…decline,” he added. 

A cold chill ran up your spine. There it was. 

“You’re very observant. Of course, I’d be happy to take on your tasks.” 

“Wonderful.” The gleeful tone made you want to throw your laptop into the furnace and destroy it with him still on the screen, but you couldn’t do that just yet. “The coordinates to my location are attached to one of the files. Be there in a week’s time. Oh, and bring your tools as well. Should everything go according to plan, I may have another job for you when you arrive. Until then.” 

As soon as he was out of sight, your laptop returned to normal with the addition of the schematics on the screen. Sending the files to your printer to be set in hardcopy, you slammed the top of your laptop closed with a frustrated growl. Stalking over to your furnace, you set it ablaze, making sure the flames were hot before tossing the hunk of technology in. The metal and plastic wheezed and popped as it bubbled from the high temperature. It was useless now. You would have to buy a new one. 

“What are you doing? And who the hell was that?” The rough texture of Todd’s voice cut through the thick atmosphere, making you seek him out in the darkness. He was sitting upright in the corner, shadowed by one of the smaller discontinued assignments you left unfinished. He hit the light switch beside him, instantly illuminating your workshop with a bright white light as the incandescent bulbs turned on. Now you could see his stern expression. He wasn’t inquiring from pure curiosity, his frown said that he wasn’t happy with your exchange with the masked man. 

“That was Jump City’s resident bad guy,” you explained, turning the temperature up on the furnace for good measure before turning it off completely. “And I’m destroying my laptop. I’m fairly sure it’s infected with something that enabled him to hack my system. I’m sure you can tell just from his demeanor, but he’s not someone I want to take chances with. ” 

The teen gave you a skeptical look. “Then why work for him? It’s not like you owe him something.”

Well, a part of you couldn’t say no to the money that he was offering. Your funds were running low, and with the amount you had now, you wouldn’t be able to disappear for as long as you’d like. There was a catch somewhere in his plan for you, you knew that much. You weren’t so naïve to think that he was going to play nice with you just because you worked for him a couple of times before. Although he was true to his word before, he was still a villain, and the only thing constant about villains is that they lie. However, you trusted yourself enough to get yourself out of trouble should things get too deep, not that Todd needed to know. So you told him the bigger reason as you why you accepted Slade’s invitation. 

“You’re right. I don’t.” You meandered over to the printed documents, flipping through them until you found the coordinates you needed. “Hacking into my system, talking about where I’ve been…Don’t you think it’s strange that he’s so interested in what I’ve been doing?” You glared at the pages, and with a snarl, you sent them flying across the room. They scattered, falling gently until they came to rest in a trail on the floor. “He wasn’t making a request. He was giving a threat.”


	37. The Flirt

Laying across your makeshift bed made from a pile of blankets and pillows, you hummed in boredom with Slade’s schematics resting over your face. There were few things to do within the last few days, as events began to quiet down once more. You had already managed to update the holographic disguised units, in addition to making one for Todd as well. You had repurchased a laptop with the limited funds you had left and reformatted it into a new platform that would be manageable for your future projects. Todd assumed the role of cook for the next few days, wanting to make himself feel useful in his semi-disabled state, leaving you with nothing else to do but to “look-over” the schematics for Slade’s bots for the tenth time. 

You tapped the side of your foot against the wall in a steady pattern.

You hadn’t felt this useless in a long time. Usually you were running from something, building something, or—on the rare occasions—going out into the public sphere to forget your loneliness. But this time none of these were options, especially the last one. 

The Titans had been out more frequently lately with their latest blonde recruit. Although there was really only one villain in town, apparently he had been enough to keep them on their toes for this long. Well, with the recent activity, it made you less excited to walk around in broad daylight, even with your holographic disguise. You didn’t want a repeat of the other day happening to you, it was just a little too close for comfort last time. 

It was a strange feeling seeing them look so content after all that had happened. It made sense for them to move on, though. You were used to seeing them disgruntled and upset. Well, whatever the case, it looks like they had moved on and adopted that geokenetic girl. 

You huffed slightly, making the papers flutter from the quick breath. |

“You know, I’m a little hurt that you’re so bored with my company. You know how many girls would kill to be in your position?” 

“You mean penniless, without a job, and subjected to house arrest with the guy who molested me to steal my money?” came your muffled reply. A secret smile crept onto your lips when you felt his unimpressed glare pierce through the paper. Poking at his ego served as a decent entertainment source every now and again.

“The **_attractive_** guy,” he corrected. “And I didn’t molest you. There’s barely anything there to call a chest anyway. You should see the women I usually see. Now those are impressive.” 

“Your misogyny is showing,” you accused, lazily pointing a finger in the general direction his voice came from. You promptly ignored his disagreement. “I’m sure that and your blatant narcissism are your best selling points.”

Suddenly, without a hinting sound, the papers were lifted from your face. You jumped slightly, not expecting the sudden contact. You hadn’t even heard him move beside you. Blinking away the soreness from the sudden drastic change in contrast, you found yourself staring into his brilliant green eyes. When had they returned to their brilliant luminosity? 

Some of his blonde locks, now a bit longer since the first time you met, hung in small tendrils, tickling your face. Just like that, the world had become amazingly small. 

“Actually,” his voice came out soft and quiet, but it was all you could hear. It was like the world had gone quiet. “It’s my charisma, but having a pretty face never hurt.” 

His hand came to cradle the side of your face, stroking your cheek leisurely with his thumb. The warmth of his skin brought you from your admiration. The world was more than him again, and you were aware of your body once more. He gave a warm smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, completely unaware that you had broken free from whatever spell he had cast. 

“You know, I never really noticed that your lips are a really beautiful shade of—“

You frowned. 

Shoving your palm into his face, you were able to quiet his incessant blabbering; however, that wasn’t enough to placate you. Sitting up, you pushed him from you until he lost his balance, landing on his bottom with a grunt. 

Glaring dully at the teen, you held back your growl. “Excuse me, personal space.” 

He gave a petty pout, rubbing his red nose. “Always so violent…”

Crossing your arms over your chest, you rolled your eyes. “I wonder why with a corny pervert like you around.” 

“Hey!” He crossed his legs, pointing a finger at you. “I’ll have you know that my pick-up lines are anything but corny!” 

“Just because they work on desperate old women, that doesn’t mean they’re actually good.” 

His unimpressed expression met your smirk. 

He pursed his lips, and you were sure you could almost see the steam escape his nose when he snorted indignantly. His sour expression made your happy one grow. When he was caught off guard, he tended to show it, so you knew you always had the upper hand. Then, slowly, the corner of his frown tugged, lifting his downturned lips into a smile. With every move upward, yours turned down, confused and hesitant with the change in expression. You didn’t like that look. Whenever he made that face, you were sure there was nothing good to come of it. 

He pushed himself to sit up on the balls of his feet, his elbows leaning against his knees with emerald eyes projecting a playfulness you’ve grown wary of. 

Scooting back slightly, you looked at Todd apprehensively. “…What?” 

Your discomfort made his grin grow wider, enjoying your uneasiness. “Looks like I’m just going to have to test them on you.” 

You frowned. “ _What?_ ”

“If my pick-up lines are actually that terrible, then you’re going to help me test them. Every. Single. One.” 

“You’re joking.” He was bluffing. He had to be. That sounded like the worst possible idea.

He leaned back onto his heels, feigning aloofness. “On the contrary. Who wants to use outdated material? Besides, you didn’t seem affected by my charm. If you were desperate, you would have fallen for me by now, plus you’re not old. You’re the perfect test subject.” 

You pinched the bridge of your nose, there was a headache starting to develop and it wasn’t going to be kind. He was doing this to annoy you, that much you could tell. Whether or not he actually was going to follow through with the idea was still up in the air. 

“You’re doing this to get back at me for calling you corny.”

He smirked. “Maybe.”

With a look of defeat, you looked at him with exasperation. “I take it back. Forget I said anything. Just leave me out of your experiment.” 

Folding his arms across his chest as if to deny you fully, he shook his head. “Nope, I’ve already made up my mind. You’re going to help me with this. Besides, it’s not like we have anything else to do for the next few days.” Standing, the teen stretched gently, careful to not agitate his wound. “All this talk has made me hungry. Why don’t I make us something to eat, hmm~?”

He gave you a wink, to which you answered with a roll of your eyes. 

“Your attempt at being cute makes me want to throw up.” 

He gave a look of indifference, turning to look down at you from his higher advantage. “Now that’s not very nice, Sweetheart. Here I am, perfectly prepared to make us a romantic lunch, and you insult me. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve taken those as words of spite~ ♥”

His sudden change of character was making you uncomfortable. You were used to sarcastic, facetious Todd, not…whatever this was right now. 

“But even if they were,” he leaned down at the waist, giving you a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and gave your cheek an affectionate pat. “I’d still forgive you~♥”

Without warning, the ground beneath you began to tremble terribly, sending some of your smaller equipment falling to the floor. Like your machines, Todd was unable to keep his own balance, sending him toppling over on top of you, caging you beneath his larger frame. He was agile enough to catch himself as to not injure you or himself in the stumble. He too was just as stunned at this random event. Earthquakes weren’t known to be active in this part of the country. 

Your heart pumped hard in shock, this quaking wasn’t something you were used to. Mother Nature wasn’t always benevolent, and you didn’t enjoy the thought of getting caught in one of her natural disasters. Come to think of it, you had never had a plan should an earthquake arise. 

Gripping onto Todd’s sleeve you curled closer to the teen while keeping alert in case anything fall towards the two of you. Your workshop was the safest place you knew, but you doubted that it would withstand thousands of pounds of steel that could crumble down on top of it should the condominium dissolve under the stress. If the shaking persisted, you two might need to make a swift get away. 

Two more minute of shaking passed, fading in intensity with every second until all movement finally ceased to exist.

Todd, still atop of you, cautiously looked around the space, checking to see if anything dangerous had taken a spill. Fortunately, some scrap metal and broken glass seemed to be the worst of the damage. “Looks like it’s safe now. Any aftershocks won’t be as bad as what’s already passed.” 

Turning back to you, Todd could tell you were still visibly shaken. You still clung to his sleeve, and made yourself as small as possible underneath him, your eyes dancing around as if to double check the safety around you. Todd had almost forgotten that you never responded well to spontaneity. Things out of your control often scared you, made you uncomfortable, as if you didn’t know how to cope with those type of situations at all. 

Feeling some sympathy for you, the teen gave you a soft pat on the cheek once more. He met your alarmed appearance with one of reassurance. With a gentle voice, he spoke. “No need to evacuate, Sweetheart. I’m built rock solid.” 

Slowly the realization of his words was evident on your face, and soon you were glaring at him again. 

“Do you **ever** shut up?”

Ahh, there you were. Back to yourself in no time.

 

Little did the two of you know, that earthquake was a sign of the beginning of a new chapter. For the same geokenetic blonde that you had seen running with the Titans a few days ago would soon be in the hands of the man with the split mask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THank you to everyone who has been reading, liking, and commenting on this small story of mine! It really means a lot to me. Hopefully it's been a good ride for all of your so far! I'm officially finished uploading all the pre-written chapters! It might be a longer wait from here on out. Sorry :(


	38. The Troubled

The sun was quickly disappearing behind the horizon, its light casting a warm orange glow over Jump City. It cascaded over buildings and boats, signalling the coming of night. It backlit the Titan Tower and the small island it resided on, making them dark and imposing masses emerging from the glittering river. This enchanting scene, which normally would make viewers melt at its beauty, was ultimately ignored by the five teens that inhabited Titan Tower. They watched as their newest friend, and prospective Titan, ran from them as fast as her legs could take her.

They didn’t chase after her, save for Beast Boy, they just watched her silhouette disappear into the distance. But eventually even Beast Boy couldn’t keep up, and he lost her the second she lifted a large boulder using her gift and used it to cross the river, away from Jump City. 

Her running was no ones’ fault, really. Her insecurity had led her to believe that Beast Boy lied to her by giving away her secret to the rest of the team. He didn’t, of course. Her lack of control was just easy for the other Titans to see as they were no strangers to the unpredictable nature of superhuman gifts. There were many times that things had not gone well due to improper training, the Titans had three team members with naturally given gifts after all. 

Guilt befell them all. They hadn’t expected such a reaction from the girl, especially with how nonchalant she normally was. However, of the team, the most guilt seemed to fall mostly on the shoulders of Robin though. Guilt nibbled at his chest from the inside as he watched Beast Boy transform back into his human form and sit atop a large rock, watching the silhouette of the blonde geokenetic disappear. 

As the other Titans one by one shuffled back into the tower, giving their youngest member a saddened look, soon it was only Robin and Beast Boy left. Boy Wonder approached his friend, a worried look across his face. Beast Boy was the closest to the girl after all. 

“I just figured it out,” the young leader began, unsure of what else to say that could express his regret. “I didn’t know it was a secret.” 

Beast Boy held up a silver butterfly comb, a trinket known to be the favorite possession of the young girl. Holding it gently in his hand, he thumbed over the well-worn item. “She didn’t even say goodbye…” 

Beast Boy turned in first, unable to stay outside for much longer or he’d find himself trying to run after her again. This left the young leader by himself to look over the river and the city they had sworn to protect. This whole situation was a bad case of Deja vu for the teen. Although this was a much mellower version, it still reminded Robin about the falling out he had with you. The last time he saw you, the encounter hadn’t gone the way he expected it to go. Like Terra, you didn’t say goodbye. You were too hurt to even look at him properly. You had trusted him wholeheartedly, he found out that much during that whole incident. If only he had gone to the jail sooner. If only he had kept his cool during that fight. If only…

The teen shook the thoughts away. What had happened between you and him was disastrous, and now he can’t make things right. When you disappeared with that other inmate, you obviously didn’t want to be found. For the first couple of weeks he had helped in the search for you and the other unnamed friend, but to no avail. The last time he had gotten word of your whereabouts was when the police had tracked you down and you made a make shift smoke bomb to make a swift getaway. After that, there wasn’t a trace of you left. No petty villains knew of your whereabouts, hell, in their book you had already skipped town. There was no one in the underground who matched your description, and no one in the underground who did quality work like you did. 

Before Robin turned to reunite with his teammates within the confines of their home he couldn’t help but wonder. Where were you now?

 

****

.x[X]x. 

“Now, don’t take this the wrong way, I’m not trying to meddle or anything, but you’ve been leaving at awfully late at night for the last couple of days.”

Preoccupied with rummaging through your bag, you didn’t bother to look over your shoulder to meet the curious gaze of Todd. He leaned against the door, careful to fold his arms gently over his mostly healed burn. Aside from some tenderness and occasional shooting pains, his injury left little more than a light scar. 

“I’ve been working on a commission for Slade, remember? The faster I finish it, the faster I get paid, and the faster I can skip town.” Watching you sling the bag over a shoulder that didn’t look like yours, he pursed his lips and rolled his eyes obviously unimpressed with your answer. 

“Is it necessary to go out looking like that, though? Someone’s going to get suspicious of so many different people going through here.” 

You turned to him, disguised as an older boy with a plain face, hair covered by a hat and a hoodie. “It’s more risky to use the same disguise more than a couple of times. The more diverse they are, the harder it’ll be to trace me. Besides, the last time I went out, my cover was almost blown because I looked a little too friendly. At least this way people shouldn’t notice me at all.”

Todd didn’t looked convinced though. “You do understand that once it hits midnight, all hell breaks loose, right? Especially in the downtown core. You’re going to have people picking fights with other people for no reason. One wrong turn, and you’ve walked into a drunken brawl.” 

“You talk like I’ve not done this before. I know what I’m doing.” Shoving your hands into your pockets, you hunched forward like you’d seen so many others do. “I don’t know how long I’ll be, so don’t wait up.” Before heading out the door, you tossed a silver disk his way. “It’s a second hologram disguise unit, just in case.” 

“At least let me come with you. I’m getting tired of sitting around here while you get to go out.” 

“Then go out, I’m not stopping you. But you’re not allowed to come with me, it’s too dangerous.” 

Todd watched you leave, still a bit perturbed by your stubbornness, all the while tumbling the thin disk between his fingers. He gave a light huff of indignation before setting his eyes on the door you left from. “As if the danger’s stopped me before…what the hell do you take me for?” 

Ever since you had come back in contact with the man called Slade a little over a week ago, Todd had noticed that you slowly began to distance yourself. Not completely, though, because you held much more conversation with him now than you had when the two of you were hiding in his old apartment, but whenever you began tinkering with your technology or looking over those schematics the man had sent over, you always grew extremely quiet. You even began to slip away sometimes late at night or when Todd was asleep and wouldn’t come back until many hours later, usually exhausted. Todd had tried to prod for some type of clue as to who Slade was and what your history was, but you would always brush it off, never giving it much to go on. 

Shoving the hologram contraption in his pocket, he quickly slipped on an oversized black hoodie that you had bought him, making sure to avoid his freshly healed wound from habit. Slipping the hood over his head, the teen was out the door.

It didn’t take him long to spot you. Luckily for him your legs were shorter than his, and you used a leisurely pace to keep the attention off you. To anyone else, you were just another lost kid running the downtown scene. But Todd knew better. He followed you in shadow, several paces behind to keep you unaware of his presence. 

He watched as you avoided every streetlight, the headlights of passing cars, and the illumination of store fronts. Judging by how easily you maneuvered around each obstacle, Todd would say that you had planned this route out thoroughly and executed it many a time. It was impressive. After an hour, Todd realized that you journey was a long one, something he hadn’t expected. By the time you had made it to your destination, you were far into the tech district, across town. You made no effort to hail a taxi or use a bus, even though it would have taken far less time that this had taken. Probably because taxis and buses are equipped with cameras, he fathomed. 

Pressing his back against a thick, concrete wall, Todd turned his head around the corner to survey you. You looked around briefly, making sure that there was no one around before slipping through the steel door of one of the factories. Whatever project you were working on must be pretty intensive if you had found yourself working in an industrial place like this. 

Surveying his own surroundings, Todd followed after you after he was sure the coast was clear. When he reached the doors, he gave a soft tug. It didn’t budge. 

“Locked,” he cursed, giving a mild frown. Locks were a nuisance, but not unworkable. Besides, he wasn’t going to give up now, he had come too far for that. Slipping a hand into his boot, he revealed two metal instruments a college had given him years ago to pick locks. They hadn’t failed him yet. Inserting them into the narrow slot of the keyhole, he shifted and jiggled them until he felt them give and the sounding click. And they didn’t fail him now. 

It was dark within the building, with little light that illuminated his journey. The room he was in was relatively small in comparison to the rest of the building. It looked to be some type of garage or loading dock. Aside from the door he entered, there was only one way out, the door in front of him, which he guessed would lead into the actual manufacturing section of the factory. The light from the crack of the door, and the subtle sounds that emanated from it, suggested to him that on the other side of that door, he’d also find you. But the place was well lit, and he didn’t know the layout of the factory, or if you worked with anyone else. The underground business was shady, and a dangerous place to operate. If he made one wrong move, that could mean the end of him. 

Further up the wall, the teen noticed another small crack of light that also filtered into the room. It was small, and faint, but there was something there. Gracefully, the teen climbed the wooden crates beneath it, carefully scaling the rickety objects until he reached his objective. It was a small, boarded up window. It showed just how long the factory had actually been here as the wood had become a victim of dry rot and was caked with a thick layer of dust and oil. 

Giving a soft grumble of disgust, Todd pried the plank away easily, placing it carefully beside him. After thoroughly wiping the gunk from his fingers and onto his pants, the teen peered into the window. After a moment of adjusting, his emerald eyes widened in shock to the sight which beheld him. It was an army of human figured robots, lined from wall to wall in all directions. He had seen nothing like it. A force this big could potentially contend with the city’s law enforcement. Hell, if you made enough of them, they would probably be able to take over the whole damn country. 

This was what you were spending time doing? This was far more intense than even Todd thought possible. 

You were creating a robotic militia.


	39. The Trouble Maker

Jason watched you from his seat in the corner of your workshop. The two of you had worked to move some of the equipment and old projects away, to give the two of you a small sleeping area, enough for two cots, and a small table. But even as Jason went out or slept, you were either working on schematics, sitting at your work desk, or you were working on the robot militia within the walls of that old factory. 

And although you might deny it, Jason had also noticed you become increasingly distant from him. The two of you shared meals every so often, and he would push you to leave and get some fresh air, but it still wasn’t enough. It was as if the work had slowly come to consume you. You were losing yourself and Todd had a front row seat to watch the destruction. 

Todd furrowed his brows as he watched you scribble into a small, leather bound book. It was strange, in an old archaic way, to watch you jot notes down manually, but he had seen you do it every so often. He didn’t ask questions, just observed. It was a close token to you— that much he could tell— and if he brought it up, you were sure to pick up on his wandering eyes. 

The dark circles under your own eyes were signs of how little you had been sleeping lately. The sheen to your skin was dulling, as well as your hair. Although the two of you had known each other for less than a year, the perils the two of had escaped had created an unmistakeable bond. Saving each other several times, and sharing stories no one else had known… it was all too much for Todd to ignore. He had many opportunities to leave—as did you— to end this strange partnership, but neither of you did. There was too much in place to abandon, and Todd was sure that you could feel it too. The two of you couldn’t have made it this far without each other. 

That had to count for something. 

That had to mean _something_. 

And it did. At least to Todd. 

Even if you couldn’t see how far your-self destruction was going, Todd would help you survive it. He would do at least that much in return for nursing him back to health from his injury. 

Thinking back to the day it happened, Todd recalled the events that transpired just before. It had been during a trying time for the both of you. You were still recovering from the shock of the betrayal of the hero, having a nightmare of the event the night before, and Todd had been going stir crazy from being cooped up within the same four walls for days. At the time, the two of you had been mentally exhausted by the circumstances, and if only Todd had known how much the whole ordeal with the hero had impacted you. He didn’t know then…but he was starting to understand. 

The dead look in your eyes, the way your hands twiddles with things even when you weren’t working. Todd was all too familiar with these tell-tale signs. He had gone through something similar at an earlier time in his life. You were struggling with yourself, remembering things you tried so hard to forget. But at night, during the rare times Todd would catch you sleeping, he would hear you whimper and mumble, often catching soft calls of “Robin” and “sorry”. It was taking its toll. It was even starting to take its toll on your work. Your body couldn’t keep up with the strain day after day. 

Did you know how far the hero’s betrayal had rattled you?

No. Probably not. It was a difficult thing to recognize on your own. 

Or…Perhaps you did? 

It would explain why you were working so hard on this project. Why you tried so hard to avoid sleeping…

It was one thing to receive a threat from one of the many bad guys that ran rampant within Jump City, it was another to throw ones—self so thoroughly into a project. You could have skipped town, started a new business with the money you had kept in your safe. But something in you had snapped. Your judgement was skewed, and now you were doing things purely on a will to survive. Whatever Robin had done, it had hit you close to home, and now you couldn’t think straight. 

Although Todd typically kept his interests strictly to things that would later benefit him, he couldn’t sit back and watch this whole thing transpire. You had created an army of what looked to be fully functioning robots, with more added to the ranks every day. In one day Jump City could be over taken, with or without the Teen Titans, and that was just not good in Todd’s books. No one had come close to over throwing the county’s militia, but by the looks of the numbers, this would be a very decent effort if it was executed properly. And that threatened Todd’s way of life. It still wasn’t the grandiose life he dreamed about, but he couldn’t imagine it getting better with a super villain at the top of the hierarchy. 

At the same time, if the plans didn’t succeed, your name and face would be associated with one of the biggest scandals of the century. You wouldn’t be able to get away from the police, the Titans, or you nightmares if that transpired. If you didn’t smarten up, you were just going to dig your own grave, and Todd was afraid that his front row seat would cause him guilt for the rest of his life if he were to let that happen. 

But then came the problem of what to do. What could Todd possibly do to somehow remedy this unsavory situation without ratting you out to the people you seemed to admire the most. You wouldn’t respond well to any type of heart to heart—not that Todd knew how to extend an invitation to participate in one of those in the first place. He could kidnap you and take you to another city, but that wouldn’t solve to root of the issue either, and would do little good without your consent.

The only real talent that Todd seemed to have was a knack for theft and an uncanny ability to stir up trouble…unless…

“Hey, Mecha.” 

Turning at the call of your name, you gave Todd a curious glance. “What?”

He gave a fox-like grin, his green eyes sparkling with unspoken mischief. 

“Let’s go steal something.”


	40. The Rebellious

When Todd had invited you out to accompany him on a thieving expedition, you didn’t expect him to be so adamant about it. And when you threw up the topic of the Titan’s being the target of said heist, you didn’t expect Todd to agree so excitedly. It was a joke on your part, a facetious thought that you never would have followed through with, at least on your own. It was an exaggerated thought at best, a joke that had been taken too seriously, a product of your sarcastic disposition. 

Of course you found yourself sitting a top an asphalt roof, overlooking the shadowy movement of said teen through several cameras set up through out Titan Tower. The smell of salt water tickled at your nose, calming your nerves slightly. As you pulled your eyes away from the monitor to gaze up at Jump City illuminated by the many bright lights of the downtown core, you couldn’t help but admire the nighttime view. The city, the bridge, everything was quite beautiful in a familiar way. You couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous of the Titans. This was the scene they got to see every night, and the sunrise peeking over the bridge every morning. It was serene and calming, a stark contrast to what you were used to seeing in your past homes. 

Their wold was definitely something to behold. You could only wonder if views like this were something they were able to behold all their lives thus far. 

Were their lives always so grand? Always so happy? 

Were some people just blessed with good fortune, or was their something else to life that you simply couldn’t understand while people like the Titans’ could? 

_“Hey, Mecha!”_ Todd’s voice called though your ear piece, breaking you from your inner musings. _“I think I found a great addition to your wardrobe!”_

Curious to see just what the teen was talking about, you pulled up the camera feed which his figure occupied. The teen found himself in a room you could only assume belonged to the alien girl, Starfire, as Todd held up her two-piece uniform for you to see. _“I can totally add this to the list of things to magically go missing. She has a closet full!”_

Todd acted like a child in a candy store. This was clearly his element. 

Sliding your hand down your face, you quietly look to the sky for the reason why you were here in the first place. Pulling on your mic, you question the teen. “What are you doing? You’re in the wrong room. Put that away.” 

_“Why? Not your colour?”_ He looked curiously at the camera and back at the skimpy outfit he held beside him. _“I didn’t think you were a black spandex kind of girl, but I guess I could snag one of those for you.”_

You watched as he disappeared back into the girl’s closet, chuckling to himself all the while. 

“This isn’t the time to joke around, Todd,” you remind him. “They could start heading back any minute now.” 

_“Relax.”_ He moved his way back to the hall to find the vault. _“I have to at least inspect the other goods while I’m here, Babe. Its part of the fun. Besides,”_ his figure disappears from the camera’s view behind a wall, _“you’re the one who’s supposed to keep look-out with that handy little communicator they gave you.”_

Sighing, you pulled the yellow contraption from your pocket. Five dots representing the Titan’s blink in unison against a map of Jump City. They were still in the downtown core, this time situated at their favorite pizza place. You had been monitoring them ever since you had left the safety of your workshop. Back then they were exploring the shops within the shopping district, so it looks like they were finishing up their day. They’d most likely head back to the tower once they were done at the pizza place. 

It was a surprisingly quiet day today. No crazy, power hungry, evil master mind was hell bent on disturbing the peace. This meant only one thing for the Titans: a mini vacation day. It wasn’t often that they took them, only when there were days where there was little to no evidence of any wrong doers wreaking havoc within the city. It was a pattern you noticed as you checked in on them every once and again through the T-communicator Cyborg had gifted to you all those months ago. 

When he had initially given it to you, you hadn’t known what to do with it, but after taking it apart and putting it back together several times, you found a way to remove the global positioning system in it without disrupting the signal to the other communicators. So it acted as a receiver than a two-way communicator. It would do you no good to carry it around with you if they could see your whereabouts just like you could see theirs, especially after the fallout between you and Wonder Boy. 

“I’d rather we not press our luck, okay?” Keeping the communicator up on the small table top holding up your monitor. “If they catch us, we won’t have anywhere to go this time. So excuse me if I seem a bit anxious.” 

_“You’re excused.”_

You rolled your eyes. That cheeky little… 

In putting several commands into the building’s security system, you were able to bring up the schematics. There was a secret room hidden in the floor below Todd tucked away behind a hidden door attached to the hallway. According to the schematics, it was only accessible through special access in which the room would only unlock after performing a handprint or retina scan. You gave a huff. That security system could create a problem…

_“So, where am I going, Sweetheart? I’m kind of flying blind here.”_

“Are these pet names really necessary? Make your way down a floor.” 

You watch as the teen takes the elevator down, but not before exploring some of the other Titans’ rooms along the way. He strolls casually down the hall as if he had walked these halls a thousand times before. There wasn’t much to this floor, to Todd’s displeasure you’re sure. It was mostly a place to store equipment, as well as hide away from of the more troublesome weapons they’ve confiscated from their more frightening adversaries over the few years. 

_“What, you don’t like them?”_ He asks after a while. _“I think they’re endearing.”_

Choking out a laugh, you instruct the teen to wait as you figure out a way to open the door. “I think you and I have two different ideas of what constitutes endearing.” 

Ah, looks like there’s a failsafe to the room. In case anything should happen to the Titan’s, be it through the loss of a limb or otherwise, the mechanic had built in a reboot in which the room, and everything in it would open for a limited amount of time. It was a slim chance but it was better than nothing… Thank you, Cyborg. 

“Hey, Todd. How confident are you in your speed?” 

_“Well then, I guess it depends on what we’re talking about here.”_ You almost fell over from the borderline inappropriate comment.

“I’m going to do a system reset. It’ll unlock the door and everything else in the room, but it’s only going to stay open for five minutes. You have to get in and out within that time because once this thing locks down, I won’t be able to do another one. It’ll shut down for 48 hours and there’s not way out from the inside.” 

It was quiet on his side for a bit as he deliberated. 

_“Well then, what are we waiting for?”_ You could almost hear the confident smile on his face. Just like you, Todd seemed to enjoy the idea of a challenge. If you accused him of not having enough skill to do something, most often he’d do his damnedest to prove you and anyone else wrong. He didn’t like the idea of being looked down on, and used every challenge as a way to show his worth. Perhaps that was the reason why the two of you did so well together under conditions like these.

Smirking to yourself, you could feel your chest swell with a similar anxious pride. Todd had wanted to do this because he wanted to send a message, you realized. Maybe it had started because he just wanted to get you away from the cramped space of your workshop, but with the mention of stealing from the Titans, the idea progressed into something more. He wanted to show that the Titans weren’t all powerful, justice enforcers, to not just you but to the Titans themselves. He wanted to let them know, in the most intimate way, that despite their high status, there were people out there that had the same, if not more, skill to best them. There was an anarchistic spirit to the Teen that was infections, and you felt it spread through you like fire. 

If Todd was willing to take the chance, then who were you to deny him? 

“Alright there, Big Guy.” Typing in a code, you watched the countdown begin. “Reset begins in three… two…one…” 

You could hear the door beep and slide open through Todd’s mic just as he mutters under his breath, _“Let’s have a little fun.”_


	41. The Rebellious II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, here's the next chapter. Thank you to everyone for all your encouraging words. I've been doing my best to get myself together. It's been a slow recovery, but some things are getting better. I hope to be updating more often.

It was supposed to be a simple in and out operation. You were supposed to leave fifteen minutes ago. You were supposed to be half-way home by now…. but something had gone terribly out of your favor. It’s Murphey’s Law that states if something can go wrong, it will. And of course, it would apply to the one situation you chose to rebel against those that had done you harm. 

It was a malfunction of some sort. A short circuit in the timer from going unused for so long. Was it an act of God, perhaps? Was it Lady Luck trying her best to push you past your mental breaking point, or perhaps it was karma for breaking to the Titan’s home and headquarters. 

Whatever the cause, you now found yourself hiding behind the roof entrance. There is little room for you to stand comfortably as there’s barely a foot of distance in which the ledge juts away from the wall. That small ledge is all that separates you from the rocks and the water over a hundred feet below. With your equipment folded neatly back into the brief case, you hold it against your body as you press yourself as close to the wall as physically possible. You had been hiding here for what seemed like forever, waiting and listening for their arrival. 

You can hear their voices now, being carried by the soft breeze, but you dare not check to be sure lest you be caught. 

The operation had gone smoothly at first. The door to the arsenal room opened, and Todd safely made his way in. But fate must have thought it too easy for you both. The timer on your screen that monitored the amount of time Todd had before the door would close, had glitched, flickering several times. It was curious at first, jumping only a few fractions of a second at a time, which was nothing too concerning. But suddenly it jumped drastically, and what had started out as just over two minutes left, was now less that one. 

You had attempted to alert Todd through his earpiece, but your frantic babbling was cut short but the timer ending and the automated sealing of the safe. The only thing that could cut off the wireless communication like that would have to be the thick walls that constructed the safe. The only plausible explanation for Todd’s lack of response would be that he didn’t get out in time. He’s still stuck in the confines of the hidden safe. If that is the case, you wouldn’t be able to break him out...There was no way to do that without alerting the Titans that their home was under siege…

Now with the Titans returning from gallivanting around the city, you found yourself in an even stickier situation. 

You hear Cyborg’s boisterous laugh first before you hear the metal of his boots meet concrete. He laughs along with the others, poking fun at Beast Boy for a situation that must’ve happened during their outing. 

“Ha! Don’t mess with the master, boys. Racing games aren’t for everyone.” 

“I totally went easy on you. I just didn’t feel like breaking into all my super cool maneuvers today, that’s all. You’d never win against my totally awesome steering skills!” 

A cheerful giggle cuts through their arguing, and a soft feminine voice speaks. “This outing was most enjoyable! Raven, did you not find this night most favourable?” 

“Uh…sure.”

You listen on as their conversation echoes through the stairwell the further they descend. However, with no visual aid, you could only determine that the presence of the four Titans. There was one specific person that you were hoping you’d be able to avoid at all costs. 

“Hey,” a distinctly monotonous voice calls through the night air.

Of course, of all the Titan’s to find you it would be Raven. The girl was a telepath, amongst other supernatural powers that she possessed. It would be easy for her to realize that there was someone unfamiliar in their building. 

“Nothing is going to change if you keep standing there.” She was just on the other side of the entry way. There was nowhere to hide or run. They’d send you back to jail. This was it. You didn’t even last five minutes without them noticing. 

“I know,” a male voice responded a bit further away. “I can’t help it. I can’t stop thinking about them.” 

“Them?” You hear a rustle of cloth as you assumed Raven moved closer the boy wonder. “This brooding started before we every met Terra.” A heavy silence settled in. 

It was Robin that broke first, as he gave a sigh in defeat. “If it weren’t for Slade, I would’ve found her by now. If I could just find another lead. Something to let me know if she’s still in the city, or if I should be looking somewhere else.” 

“Have you considered that maybe she doesn’t want to be found? If she still thinks you’re the one that set her up, she’s going to be a lot more cautious about moving around. You know how long it took to find her the first time.”

Who could be possibly be talking about? And who is Terra? Although you were curious as to who was being spoken about between the two teens, you swore at them mentally for taking so long. The breeze was getting stronger and you didn’t feel particularly safe so close to falling to your death. 

“…I just need to talk to her…. To clear things up.” Wonder Boy sounded terribly defeated. “I was so close. She wanted to leave that life behind! I was going to help her get out of there! I can’t leave things the way they are after everything she’s told me.” 

It was Raven who sighed this time, seemingly exasperated with her leader. “You can’t save everyone, you know.” 

“…I know. But I can try.” His tone was far away, as if his mind had drifted to a different point in time. “Funny,” he chuckled solemnly. “She was trying to tell me the same thing.” 

“Then she’s smarted than most.” 

Robin huffed slightly at Raven’s jab. Her humor wasn’t always well received, and often proved to be difficult for the other Titans to handle some times, but Robin could tell that the older girl meant well, despite being so aloof and anti-social. 

The soft padding of footsteps getting closer put your nerves on high alert. 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Raven began. “But do me a favour and try to socialize with the others sometimes. They’re concerned with you…disappearing again. It’s starting to look suspicious.” 

The insinuation wasn’t lost on the young leader. After the stunt he pulled pretending to be a thief called Red X, the Titans’ trust in him had wavered, not that any of the members would outright say it. With him disappearing to brood so often, they must be thinking the worst of him. Not that they were to blame for that. 

He nodded towards the girl in purple, expressing his gratefulness with a soft ‘thanks’ before she descended back down the stairs into the Tower. 

The silence that followed was the tensest moment you ever had the displeasure of experiencing. With the breeze playfully pushing you to lose balance, and the person of your ire on the other side of a wall, you were praying for a miracle. 

Then, as if the universe had heard your plea, the teen sighed one last time before his footfalls follow his teammate down the stairs. 

After making sure the hero’s presence was absent, you too sighed. Though yours was more from relief than regret. With the two Titans gone, you no longer had to worry too much about keeping quiet. You had no concrete proof, but something in your gut told you that the conversation which had just transpired was about you. The sheer idea that boy wonder even still thought about you made a strange feeling bubble in your chest. If the hero was looking for you only to make amends, what exactly did he want to say…?

Pulling the briefcase closer to you, you press your forehead against the cool concrete. What were you to do now? With Todd trapped within Titan Tower and all the Titans home, there was no way to get inside without getting noticed. And the last thing you wanted was to face the Titans on their home turf…Unless…

Shuffling out of your hiding spot, you unfold the brief case, and re-hook your wires into the open panel. Hacking into the alarm system again, you pass the security, looking for anything you could use as a diversion. 

You loop yourself through several proxies around the world before you run back through the system. It’s standard hacking protocol, and something you would need to follow if you planned on taking on someone like Cyborg. The more time you could stall for, the better. 

Shuffling into your jumpsuit pocket, you retrieve a USB stick. It contains one of the more volatile viruses you had ever come across as your short time with the hackers. You had copied the code and saved it for future use. If you sent this baby into the tower’s system, havoc would ensue. Every electronic attached to Titan Tower would go haywire and would operate on their own if not completely. And, if Cyborg installed a failsafe, like the smart person you knew he was, then the entire Tower would go on lockdown, enabling you to manually open or lock any of the doors you pleased while his system rebooted. It wasn’t an option while the Titans were away, but now that they were all home, you would basically be lacking them inside for an indeterminate amount of time. Checking the internal cameras one last time to ensure the Titans were in rooms that would give them a difficult time, you press the USB stick into place. Open the file, input the password, create a pathway—

Your heart gives a startled jump when a firm hand rests itself on your shoulder. Your hands are frozen in place, eyes wide. How had they noticed you so quickly? They were all pre-occupied with other activities, you saw it not a minute ago, on the monitor. 

“Hey there, Cutie. Come here often?” a distorted male voice said. 

Swallowing thickly, you muster the courage to face the teen. But instead of a domino mask, you’re met with a familiar skull mask with a red ‘x’. 

“T-Todd…”

At the mention of his name, the teen pulls the mask away to reveal his blonde locks and glittering emerald eyes. 

“The one and only.” He chuckles with a wink. 

Jumping to your feet you rush at the teen, embracing him in your arms before you can think against it. 

You pull away from him, gripping the sleeves of his suit. “It was locked! How--? And you—you were trapped inside!” 

He laughs, shushing you with a finger to his lips. “Quiet down, any louder and they’ll hear you.” 

He steadies you with his other hand on your shoulder, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb. 

“I was worried!” Clearing your throat, you attempt to regain your composure, but the words only come faster. “I thought you were trapped, and they all came back so fast and I was on the ledge waiting for them to leave but they were taking so long and—“ 

 

“Okay, okay.” Laughing again, the teen pressed a finger against your lips, ending your worried rant. “Let’s get out of here first before they figure us out. You can check me over when we get home” He emphasizes his point with a playful wink, and despite the exasperated look you give him, there’s a part of you is thankful to see him there in front of you.


	42. The Stranger

You sit a top of a pile of wooden crates, surveying the slowly growing robot army you’ve amassed over the better part of a month. Absent mindedly sipping at your water, you fiddle with the switch that automated the Artificial Intelligence function. You had disabled the function in the androids that you used to help with the android assembly. Although you halted the small assembly line of androids to ensure proper quality inspection, it wasn’t the only motive. 

It wasn’t lost on you that Jump City’s very own Super Villain kept a close eye on you; the cameras in every corner was evidence enough. But because of this, you ensured that none of the androids would work without your approval, and none of the ones who worked on the small assembly line had the artificial intelligence program set up in their circuits. Even now, as you took a breather, the androids stood motionless awaiting for your next command. 

Their shiny two-toned faces glisten against the pot lights from above.

You needed to ensure that he had a reason to keep you around, and until you could find a better alternative, this was all you had. 

“Ah—there you are, Mecha.” There was only one person’s voice that could send such a dirty chill up your spine. No matter how many times you heard it roll off his tongue, you never managed to build a tolerance. Turning to face the man as he emerged from the shadows, you were not met with one person, but two. The older man was flanked by a young blonde younger than yourself. You had seen her once before…something in your mind recognized her large blue eyes and thin figure.

“I wanted to introduce you to my new protégé.” He urged her forward. 

She shuffled her feet warily, holding her arms close to her. Finally under the bright light, you could see just how young she actually was. She stood at least half a head shorter than you, and her body looked to be just in the beginning stages of puberty. 

“H-Hello!” Her greeting was strained. She was trying too hard to be sure of herself. That alone told you that she was scared. She was doe-eyed, not yet hardened by the world. 

“Her name is Terra.” 

The way he referred to her as if she wasn’t even in the room bothered you. She was just another tool to him, just like you, but at least he had the decency to talk to you like a person. Terra? Why did that name sound familiar? 

“Terra is a geo-kinetic,” he began, stepping out of the shadows to rest a hand to the top of her head. “I will be training her from now on.”

Ah, that’s why. You were sure you had seen her with the Titans not long ago. She had the power to move the earth with her mind. But why was she here now if she was with the Titans? Was this some elaborate plot to bring Slade down again?

No, not after Robin’s stunt as Red X. Slade would smell that coming from a mile away. 

“Terra will be the newest addition to our…team. I hope you will extend to her the same respect you show me.” He gives her head a soft caress before he backs away. “I’ll leave the two of you to get acquainted.” 

You watch wordlessly as the man turns away to return to the shadows, leaving you with the young girl. Even when you can no longer see his figure, you eye his general direction from beneath your goggles. The more that you work for the man, the more you’ve begrudged speaking around him unless absolutely necessary. It’s not until Terra speaks, do you turn your attention away from where the man once stood. 

“So…been here long?” she asks.

Taking a sip of your water, you watch her warily, unsure of what to make of her presence. “…Long enough,” you answer. 

“Ah…” She nods, looking away awkwardly. She shuffles in place as if to debate whether to find a place to seclude herself or to try another hand at socializing with you. Her gaze falls to the rows upon rows of humanoid machines that stand at attention. “Did….did _you_ make all these?” 

She looks at you expectantly, and you nod. 

“By yourself!?” Her voice echoes through the room at the sudden change in volume. It makes you jump, almost falling from your seat at her sudden enthusiasm. 

“Y-yeah,” you confirm, rubbing your ears to ebb away the dull pain. 

“Woah…” Her eyes glitter in awe as she runs up to one and inspects it up close. “That’s insane! Cyborg talked about your work sometimes, but I didn’t think that he was actually telling the truth.” 

You quirk a brow at her sudden revelation. “So my hunch was right, I did see you with the Titans before.”

The statement catches her off guard and her expression darkens instantly. She backs away from the android and instead finds the floor a much more interesting subject to inspect. “The key words there are ‘used to’. I don’t anymore…it was a huge mistake to think I could trust him—them…”

She frowned at her noticeable slip up, and noticeably closed herself off. You didn’t move to pry her for anything else. If she could sway so easily from the Titans to Slade, you were sure that she would not be your ally if her best interest was at stake. For now, you would keep your distance. Instead, you watch as the young girl explores the sea of metal bodies on her own. She’s somewhat curious, but mostly wanders out of boredom and circumvention. 

Sipping your water, you take time to appreciate the listless way she drifts, almost like an impromptu dance she makes up as she goes. This is probably the last time anyone will see her so innocent. The world has begun to harden her, you can see it in the way she doesn’t look up from the floor, and the way she doesn’t turn her back to you unless she’s a considerable distance away. This transformation is something you’ve experienced first hand, and seen destroy even the most noble of people. Life sculpted people into who they are, and it seems it granted you a front seat to watch this girl sink or swim. 

It was an honour you would much rather relinquish.

**.:x[X]x:.**

You find yourself at the local rave being one of the only souls out wandering this late on a weeknight. It’s a strange time of the year to be out, where there are no holidays or national celebrations to be had. There is only the odd birthday crowd that keeps to themselves at the center of the dance floor.

You choose to stay close to the bar, opting to nurse your beverage with the quiet company of the bartender. You’ve grown quite attached to her company despite the fact you’ve never bothered to learn her name. But she seems to rather it that way, and never asks for yours either, even though she’s served you on several occasions. She would often leave you to your own musings, but kept a close eye should you ever need a refill, or a quick get away. 

The heavy beat of the bass drums through your chest, and for the time you forget the uneasiness that’s plagued you. After a particularly large swig of your drink, you give a heavy sigh—careful to avoid the burn that comes with breathing in. 

“Long day?” someone questions from the side. It comes from a teen a seat down from you. He’s been keeping to himself mostly, casually sipping at his own drinks through out the night. His drinks of choice are less potent than yours, but the way he sits says he’s had a few. He’s turned to you slightly, dressed in a white trench coat with pointed sunglasses perched upon his nose.

“It feels like it’s been a long year,” you grumble, downing the rest of your drink in one gulp. Placing the empty cup on the table, you slide it to the bartender for her to refill for you. 

“I’ll drink to that,” he says, toasting his bottle in the air before finishing off what’s left of his. 

“Might want to take it easy there, Dick. Remember what happened last time.” The bartender warns before sending a replacement his way. 

Be it because of the alcohol or what have you, you laugh lightly at the teen’s expense. “What happened last time?”

Scratching the back of his neck nervously, he answers with, “She called my friends to pick me up.” 

“Literally,” she added. “He was passed out, and they had to carry him home.” She sent an unimpressed look his way before moving down the line to serve some other customers. 

Laughing again, you miss the sidelong way Dick watches you from his seat. Clearing his throat and gaining his composure, the teen leans forward extending his hand out to you, “The name’s Dick.”

Giving him a side smile, you take his hand in your own, giving it a shake and introduce yourself. 

 

****

.:x[Extended Ending]x:.

Biting back a laugh, you eye your black haired new friend. “So….is Dick your real name, or…?” 


	43. The Felon/ Feline

With Todd’s new found freedom, he’d find every excuse to don the Red X suit and play with all the weapons it came with. More often than not you’d find your makeshift home in your workshop devoid of his presence when you’d return from your long work sessions at Slade’s hide-out. 

You likened Todd’s personality to that of a domestic cat. With the Red X suit now in his possession and the police no longer hot on your tail, he often ventured wherever and whenever he pleased. But he would always come back for a hot meal and a warm bed and a roof over his head. He even brought gifts from his ventured sometimes, though not of the rodent variety, thankfully. 

He’s started more high profile heists as of late. After mastering the controls of the Red X suit in a short amount of time, he used it as a way to crack into larger targets. Banks, large corporations, and place whose agenda doesn’t sit will with Todd, were all potential targets. And going after such large targets, a lot of stealth and late night stalking was required. You had to admit, the teen was dedicated. It didn’t bother you though. In fact, it was nice to see Todd so invigorated. After the burn to the chest, it was hard for the teen to go about anything he enjoyed. But it seemed the theft of the Red X suit had reminded him of the thrill he enjoyed so much. 

During the nights you sometimes missed his companionship when he was away. So after long days of working on Slade’s commissions, you found yourself wandering to the local rave spot and more often than not, you’d find company with your newest acquaintance. The two of you never ventured from the bar unless it was to say goodbye for the night. Sometimes your visits didn’t consist of any conversation at all, as it seemed he too had days that zapped the energy from him. But most of all, the two of you had grown content with each other’s company. 

After a particularly eventful conversation with Dick, you excused yourself for the night, bidding him a restful sleep. He waved to you on your way out, mentioning that he would see you again next time. Finding yourself a little less down trodden than when you had entered, you leave the hot warehouse-turned-nightclub in favour of a cooler atmosphere. 

The night air is cool against your skin, and you relish in the drastic change. Fresh air is always a comfort when you spent most of your time in doors. Raising your arms in the air you give a long stretch as you walk through the shadows of the back streets. You have grown accustomed to walking down the drunken routes. 

“So…who’s your new friend?” a voice asked before the owner leapt from the roof top, landing gracefully beside you. His feet barely make a sound as he lands, the flutter of his cape mimicking the sound of birds flapping.

You fight the scream that lurches up into your throat. “It would be polite to give me fair warning before you do this,” you grind out before giving him a hard smack on his arm in retaliation. 

He doesn’t move, only chuckles at your vain attempt at inflicting pain. “I’ll keep it in mind for next time,” he laughs, slinging an arm around your shoulders. “But really, who is he?”

“Why?” You quirk a brow, looking up at him from under his shoulder. “Jealous?”

“Me?” The teen gives a dramatic gasp, placing his hand on his chest in feigned hurt. “Never. I’m just curious as to who might be interested in our little diabolical hermit, is all. It’s not everyday I see you out working your charms on an unsuspecting victim—Oof!”

You dig your elbow into his stomach, making him sway on his feet, but he only holds you tighter against him. Shoving your hands deep into your pockets, you look away with a purse of your lips. “Now you’re just making fun of me.” 

With a rustle, a rat runs out into your path from a pile of broken and dirty cardboard abandoned behind what used to be a pizza place. Tripping over your own feet to avoid the grungy looking animal, you inadvertently grip onto Todd’s waist, leaning into him as you walk. 

“Hey now, what would your new boy to think if he saw you falling for me like this, hmm?” 

Huffing against him, you stop resisting and lean into his embrace further. His larger frame shields you from the cool breeze, and the weight he rests on you is a comforting reprieve from the solitude that you’re used to. “Dick’s just a drinking buddy.”

He hums in thought to himself. “Most dicks start out that way,” the teen scoffs under his breath, which you choose to ignore. “Anything to eat at home?” 

“Does it look like I’ve been home yet?”

He eyes you over once, taking note of your worn clothing and the fatigue written into your face. “Point taken.” The teen sways back and forth purposely, bringing you with him as he does his best impression of how an intoxicated person would talk. “Then how about we get some Chinese food on our way home?” 

Pinching at the spandex and snapping it against his chest, you laugh as he gives a high-pitched yelp. “Not with you dressed like that we won’t.” 

He pinches at your cheek, giving an ‘affectionate’ pull, chastising you about manners and respecting your elders. “Don’t worry about me, baby girl.” Releasing you from his hold, he tapped against the side of his belt. Instantly, his image flickered and his figure morphed into a regular teen with no outstanding features. It was one of the better disguises you programmed into your holographic camouflage unit. 

“That’s an improvement. I think I like you better this way.”

It’s his turn to huff, as he crosses his arms like a child. “Now that’s just rude. To think that I even thought about you during one of my many adventures today.” 

Shuffling into his pocket, the teen pulled out a long metal chain. It was slim, and didn’t shine like silver did. Instead, it looked like chain links composed of a sturdy metal, brushed into a matte finish. Eyeing it between his fingers, you couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship. Even in the dim light you could tell that for such a simple object, it was handled with knowledge and care. Taking it from him, you quirked a brow, somewhat unsure of what to make of it. The metal was light, almost weightless between your fingers, but even as you bent it in unnatural ways, the links wouldn’t bend from the pressure. “What’s this made of?”

“Can’t figure it out, eh? Looks like I stumped you for once!” He grinned, almost too happy at your confusion. “It’s made from a new magnesium alloy; 86% magnesium and 14% silicon carbine particles. Strongest metal around, not even on the market yet!” 

Your eyes glittered in wonder as you looked between the chain and Todd. Fighting the large smile that stretched across your face would’ve been a losing fight as you could even feel the giddiness bubbling in your throat. Giving him a big hug, which you knew was highly uncharacteristic of you, you thanked him. Twirling away from him, you brought the chain higher into the light to get a better look. “Where did you even get this?!” 

“Let’s just say that one of the labs that I broke into had a little bit more to offer than just some over paid slave laborers. The big boss had this hanging around and didn’t think too much about locking it up. Had it specially made for his dear mistress.” 

Well if that was the case….who were you to say no to such a nice gesture. In fact, you were probably doing that mistress a service. This will make him buy something that she might actually enjoy. Besides, you appreciate the craftsmanship of this much more than she ever would. 

“Well thank you for such a generous gesture, _Mr. Todd_.” Wrapping the chain several times around your wrist, you turned to your companion tapping at your own belt to activate your holographic disguise. “I believe I owe you dinner.” 

His cat-like grin was your response, linking his arm with yours and pulling you forward. “Thank _God!_ I’m starving!” 

Yes, he was quite like a cat in many ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say, that despite the fact that this fic is so old, and yet so many people still follow it....It really touches my heart. This story has been one of the only constant things in my life for almost six years now and to see so many of you still enjoying it and following along...there are no words to describe how touching that is to me. 
> 
> My life was in shambles for the past two or three years now, and has really only mellowed out as of late. But when you would comment and share with me just how much you enjoyed my story...those were really the only things that kept me writing for so long. And sometimes, those comments were even, dare I say, life saving in some moments. 
> 
> For those of you who follow me because of Lunaescence and knew somewhat of my struggle, let me just affirm that things are slowly looking up. I thank you for your dedication to this story for you and CHC has in some ways come to keep me sane. 
> 
> And to those of you who have simply known me from AO3 or have just recently picked up my small fanfiction.... Never underestimate the power words have. It might be a small comment to you about how you appreciate one's story, but to someone else, it might just be a little ray of sunshine in a terrible, seemingly never ending, storm.


	44. The Civilian

It was strange to have your arms wrapped around another girl, even for just a moment. Your hands slipped around her waist, a slender tape sliding against her shirt as you moved. With every pass of the tape, you took down measurements. Arms, bust, waist, neck, almost everything you could get your hands on. Your page was covered in numbers too, half-hazardly scribbled and some crossed out. You weren’t used to having another girl around for so long. When she wasn’t with Slade, she often came to find you as the only potential companion in the building to be of a similar age. The more she saw you as a companion, the more she sought you out. She didn’t open up to you much, only said the bare minimum when it concerned her past. Most often she’d try to get to know you better, but that never went too far either. The two of you had your share of trust issues, and despite the comradery the two of you might have felt from that commonality, it also kept you both from trusting anyone new. 

“So,” she started, plopping herself on a stool beside your work bench. “What’s next? Do you have to probe my brain, or tape my eyelids open and make me watch weird videos until I’m zombified and you implant some crazy hypno words that suddenly make me control everything?” 

You paused in your writing, taking a moment to observe the girl as she used her fingers to pry her eyelids open farther than they normally do. She blinked at you, and you wondered briefly if she knew just how absurd she looked. “You watch too many sci-fi movies,” you say before returning to your work. 

“Hey, I’m just saying. It’s possible. Have you seen those magician dudes that pulls rabbits out of hats? They can do crazy stuff, man.”

You made a noncommittal hum as you did some mental calculations. You would have to create a whole electronic skeletal system within the suit to make it work. 

“What is this for then, if you’re not gonna do any of that hypnosis stuff?” 

You quirked a brow, slightly confused by her question. “Has Slade not told you anything?”

She shook her head, her eyes curiously large. Frowning, you looked down at the schematics. She should’ve at least asked for the basics before she agreed to anything. “Don’t you think it’s unwise to agree to something before you know what it is? What if he wanted me to give you a lobotomy, and you had no idea? Why do you even trust him?”

She pursed her lips, not too happy with your short lecture. “I don’t know, why do you?”

“I don’t.” You said plainly, to which she answered with a glance away. “I don’t think you should either.” 

“I’m not looking to trust anyone,” she said after a moment of contemplation. “Slade said he could help me control my powers. I don’t care what he gets as long as I get what I want.” Her eyes slowly began to harden as she spoke. “I’m looking out for myself, I always have been.”

Ah, so that’s what it was. That reason sound terribly familiar to you. She was like you in a way, so much so that it made you somewhat uncomfortable. It was almost like looking at a mirror and seeing your younger self being reflected back. The fire in her expression is one you know too well. It’s the type of fire that’s ignited through countless bouts with doubt and misgivings. She was going to prove her worth, and nothing was going to stop her. 

Seeing her grit, you couldn’t help but smirk in appreciation. You supposed it wasn’t so bad to have someone else like you around. 

Noticing your amusement, she gave you a questioning glance. You waved off her unspoken question, instead offering her head an affectionate pat before going back to your schematics. “I’m making you a suit to help with your training.” You draw a figure on the paper, circling certain sections of the body that you think should have a transmitter. “It’ll mimic the electrical patterns in Slade’s body and send them through your suit in real time. Theoretically, it should receive the electrical patterns, send those electrical patterns into your own body, stimulating the same muscles that you have in your body that Slade is using in his. For instance, if he took a step forward, you would also be taking a step forward.” 

Next you start a list of essential items that you would need. Wires were a must, transmitter, several receivers…. Maybe some of that magnesium alloy that Todd had found the other day. You finger the metal band between your fingers absently as you work. 

“So…instead of mind control, it’s like body possession!” She exclaimed excitedly. 

“Uh…I guess so…in a manner of speaking.” 

“That’s crazy that you can make something like body possession a thing! That’s something that you only see in the movies. It’s so creepy but also super cool!”

You can’t help but laugh at that line. “To be fair, you’re able to move rocks with your mind. I think _that’s_ pretty crazy.” 

She gave a hearty laugh. “Point taken.” 

 

****

**.:-x[X]x-:.**

“Hey,” Dick says with a wave as you make your way into the booming room. You slump into the seat next to him, pushing your arms over the top of the bar to hang over the other side as you rested your chin on the table. It was nice to have a female companion for once, but the difference in personality between Terra and yourself made it difficult to be exposed to her energy for hours.

The bartender came over, ready to serve you your usual but you stopped her, instead opting for a non-alcoholic alternative. She gave you a curious once over, but served you none the less. If anything, she looked a bit relieved to see you taking a break from the alcohol. 

“Everything okay?” Dick asked from beside you, genuine concern laced through his voice. 

Taking a sip of your drink, you nodded. The thumping of the music seemed a little bit louder today, the lights a little bit brighter. Perhaps meeting Dick today wasn’t the best idea. “It’s just been a long day,” you sigh. 

Moving upright, you rest your chin in one hand and massage your temple in an attempt at some relief. Your body hasn’t been feeling the greatest as of late. The late nights and the poor food choices were probably to blame. It was why you opted against the alcohol in the first place. You were starting to regret eating out so often. 

As you will your body better, you miss the way your male companion has turned to you, his hand hovering just slightly in your direction. You miss how he hesitates, how he contemplates between staying or leaving. You miss how he habitually combs his fingers through his hair front to back, only to furiously push his locks forward again. Just when it looks like he’s finally made up his mind to leave, you catch him with a sigh and a look his way.

“Ever get the feeling that you’re doing something you shouldn’t be?” 

Dick swears his heart must have stopped for a second or two when the question left your lips. He tries to swallow, but his mouth has gone dry. Dick’s nerves are on high alert instantly, and when he responds, his voice cracks. “N-no…!” 

It’s a lie, and he knows it because it’s the feeling he gets in the pit of his stomach every time he meets you here. It’s the feeling he got when he first decided to seek you out this way, out of his suit and in regular clothes. It was the same reprehensive feeling that made his nerves in the tips of his fingers tingle because his internal voice said this wasn’t right. It said he wasn’t supposed to be here. Not with how things ended before. 

You chuckle at his weak response. “You’re lying,” you say. “But that’s fine. Whatever makes it easier, right?” 

And Dick can’t help but see just how mature you are under this atmosphere. It’s the beginning signs of dark circles under your eyes that he notices, the way you frown just slightly when you think so deeply that you forget you’re out in public. It’s the way you hold your self, as if you’ve run a marathon in which you were the only competitor. It was the all-knowing way you spoke, so sure of yourself, how you’re able to read others easily without being aware of the talent. It was this maturity that made him seek you out, but still made him skittish about it. There is a kindred feeling in his chest that told him that the two of you were similar. That the two of you were equals in a way. It was as if you two were opposite sides of a coin, equal yet not, similar but different. 

Dick isn’t sure what pushed him to ask, and he had this strange out of body experience as he heard himself speak those words. “Do you…want to get out of here?”

You look at him in the half-lidded way you do, a strange mixture of contempt and contentment. “Yeah, okay.”

And he’s not sure why you agreed, because you weren’t supposed to. You were supposed to say no, and tell him to go home under the excuse of over-consumption. But you didn’t, and that made him more nervous. He wasn’t supposed to be here under this disguise. Even though it really wasn’t a disguise. This was his civilian persona, Dick. This was the persona that often got left behind because _Robin_ was always on duty. 

So, when he walks with you out of the building, and he laughs at your joke, he has to remind himself that you don’t know. He has to remind himself that he’s lying to you, and that this was going to get messy. But he walks with you anyway, as you both agree that some food and maybe some coffee would be a nice change of pace. 

He allows himself to have this much. 

He’ll have to tell you eventually, but with the genuine way you smile at him, he can’t bring himself to do it now. He convinces himself that it’s for your sake. If he told you now, he was sure that he’d never see you again, be it as Dick or Robin. But he’d never tell anyone that these small snippets of civilian life were a nice reprieve, and that he sometimes missed the ease that came with it. 

He could allow himself this much.

 

****

**.:-x[X]x-:.**

Todd’s legs swing back and forth over the edge of the rooftop, a bag of take out for two sitting beside him. The dull thudding of the bass of the music inside manages to drown out his humming as he watches you walk out with the boy from a few days ago.

“Hey, now. That’s not fair, hero boy.” Todd’s green eyes glitter with something behind them, and even though he smiles, he doesn’t look so happy. “No take-backsies.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I'm working hard to try updating this regularly. I don't know how I used to update almost weekly when I first started this story. Thank you all for your lovely reviews, they really picked me up from the slump I was in the last time I posted. I'm not good with opening up to people, but I want to thank those of you who wanted to convey just how this story has impacted you. I honestly didn't think that a story like this could've helped anyone when I first started writing it. So thank you again, to everyone for their kindness. It truly means a lot to me. 
> 
> I'm dedicated to finish this story, so even if it takes me another 5 years, it'll be done. (Although I really hope it won't take me that long, because goodness gracious....) But just know that you guys are the reason I continue.


	45. The Lamenter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, this chapter's a bit of a short one. It's just a little heart to heart between reader and Terra that needed to be set up before all the stuff hits the fan.  
>   
> The next chapter(s) [I may split it up between two chapters] will be Dick/Robin centric so I hope you look forward to it. ~~It'll be their long awaited reunion!!!~~

Empty gazes of black and orange faces stare back at you as you work with the small wires within the intricate body armor technology. Their numerous bodies make such a large space seem so small. Although, that should be expected when they stand at two thousand strong. It had taken the better part of a couple of months working tirelessly to create Slade’s desired number of bodies, but you had done it. Now all that was left was for you to finish Terra’s uniform and you would be free from the power-hungry clutches of such a perverted man. 

ZZZT! 

The wires rejected each other, unable to handle such a large volume of power, sending you falling out of your seat from the minor explosion. Landing on your behind, you glare at the mechanism that would eventually be the shoulder receiver to Terra’s uniform. However, the technology was proving to be more complicated than you expected. You were used to creating androids, and high-tech weapons, but this type of geokenetic dependant technology was far more complex than anything else you’ve tackled. There were references on how to build every type of laser, bomb, and chemical weapon, but technology that was designed to be dependant on the physiology of the person wearing it is still relatively uncharted territory. 

Giving an aggravated sigh, you do your best to dust yourself off and get back to work. You would need to recalibrate the electrical pulses that the wires would be sending out. It wouldn’t bode well to know that Terra would be cooked inside the suit from your improper handling. Removing the power source, you went back to work, this time working on the device that controlled the output. 

A groan caught your attention as you could hear the light steps of the blonde teen as she once again came searching for your company. She looked a bit worse for wear, a common sight for the last week or so as Slade trained her endurance. It was to ensure that she would be able to keep up with him after she donned the uniform. 

_He doesn’t want to break her body completely,_ you think with a purse of your lips. 

The girl practically throws herself onto the floor beside your work table, her complaints muffled against the floor and her hair. 

“I feel like you should’ve known that this was coming when he promised that he’d train you,” you say as you solder a wire in place. “Not that I know anything about super powers, but it just seems like it goes hand in hand.” 

Another muffled complaint came rumbling from her form beside you.

You can’t help but roll your eyes at her antics. “You’re going to have to speak up, or at the very least stop talking to the floor.” 

With an exaggerated push, she flops onto her back, a dull look on her face as she looked listlessly at the ceiling. 

“I said, _I know_ ,” she grumbled. 

Oh. There was the misplaced teenaged anger you were so familiar with. You thought perhaps that she might have abandoned it a moment there. You were so glad that you hadn’t missed it. You give another roll of your eyes.

“Sometimes I wish I didn’t leave…” she mumbles to herself, but you catch it all the same through the buzzing of your equipment. 

Giving a sigh, you place your equipment down in favour of lacing several more wires through the already complicated circuit board. “You mean the Titans?” 

She doesn’t answer, but she doesn’t have to. The way she looks away is enough confirmation for you. 

“Why don’t you just go back?” You ask without looking up from your work. “It would save both you and me a lot of headache.” 

Pushing herself onto her elbows, she eyes you incredulously under her long blonde tresses. “How does me going back save _you_ a headache?” 

You pause in your work to turn to the dubious girl. You turned to look at the mannequin which served to be a stand in for Terra as you worked on the suit. It only had the shells of the metal receivers on each of the joints, save the one you had on your table currently. You looked between Terra and the mannequin until the teen finally followed your not-so-subtle hint. 

“Oh…right…sorry.” You acknowledge her sheepish apology with a hum before going back to work. “It’s just…things didn’t end so well the last time around. They were supposed to be my friends and I just ran away like that! Ugh!” 

She gripped her long blonde hair between her gloved fingers, pulling the strands hard until you were sure they would be torn from their roots. She sat up, her expression crestfallen as she eyed the ground. “I know you didn’t have the best relationship with them…but they were so nice to me…they took me in when I was still a strange girl who would occasionally be able to throw a rock or two with her mind.”

“You’re still a girl who can occasionally throw rocks with her mind,” you quip. 

“Right…” Her crestfallen answer makes you stop. You expected her to be upset, of course. And it was natural that she was starting to regret the decision to side with Slade. Hell, even you regret getting involved with such a crazed man, even though he paid you well. 

Swivelling on your stool top, you turn your full body to the girl, your elbows on your knees as you lean down a bit. It takes a minute before she registers that you’ve moved, and glances up at your curiously from her seat. “Regardless of what happened between me and them, if they’re your friends then you should be able to go back to them regardless of what happened. If they’re your friends, then they would understand.” 

You didn't have that kind of luck with your falling out with Robin, but you didn't want that to dampen what hope she had left of redemption. Besides, what you did was unforgivable, you understood that now. You supposed that should someone ever threaten the lives of the people you were closest to, you would've reacted in the same way. You weren't redeemable, but perhaps Terra was. She hadn't committed herself to a crime like you had.

Her blue eyes shine with something that you can’t seem to place, but she doesn’t look as downtrodden as she did a minute ago. She opts not to speak again, and just gazes at you in some strange look of astonishment and hope. 

“Wow, you got really passionate there. You must know some really good friends!” She gives you a toothy grin. 

A flash of Todd in your minds eye makes your cheeks flare and you instantly turn back to the work at hand. “It’s just what most people say!” 

The blonde laughs at your expense, but deep down she can’t help but feel a bit grateful for your words. Perhaps, you were right, and even if they all didn’t understand, she hoped that at the very least the small green boy that she left behind would.


	46. The Liar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait. This chapter actually gave me a bit of trouble because I wasn't quite sure how I wanted to go about it. But despite the title, this chapter is pretty fluffy (for the most part).  
>   
> Also, several years ago I held a few contests on Lunaescence where several reviewers were able to have a say in the story and get a dedicated chapter. Well I've finally been able to fit them in!  
>   
> This chapter goes out to **ninjaPARTY**! I wasn't able to fit in Cyborg or BeastBoy as requested, but I hope that (if you're still reading this) that you still enjoy.  
>   
>  Thank you to everyone who still keeps up. Hearing from you guys really makes my day.

“Hey!” You call, waving to the boy. “Sorry I’m late.”

He smiles when he sees you, waving back as you walk up. “Get caught at work?” He asks, shoving his hands in his pockets. He’s dressed a lot more casually than you’re used to, to the point where you almost overlook him while scanning the street. 

You laugh a little at the bar, you ended up confessing just how strenuous your work hours were in a fit of frustration. 

“Not today, thankfully. I just lost track of time getting ready.” 

As you match his gaze, you realize that this is the first time you’ve seen him without his sun glasses. His eyes are a deep cerulean colour that reminds you of the sky, and for a moment you’re awestruck at the clarity. You weren’t aware that eyes could be such a captivating colour. “You’re…you’re not wearing your sun glasses…” you manage to mutter. 

He flushes slightly, looking away, clearly self conscious. “Yeah…I-uh…I wanted to try something new…” he says, scratching the back of his neck. 

“It suits you.” Your compliment makes his face burn red. 

“Th-thanks!” His level of coyness wasn’t expected, but you found it adorable all the same. 

Giving the teen a bit of a break, you turn your attention away from him to observe the sky. It’s painted in hues of orange, red, and purple; a beautiful sight that you seldom got to see. “So,” you start, turning back to the boy. “It’s not everyday I get asked out.”

You laugh as his face flushes a dark crimson colour as he fumbled for the words to deny you, insisting that asking you on a date wasn’t what he meant. But all he could do was mumble about your teasing, when he saw you ignore him, laughing instead. 

“What did you have in mind for this _hangout_ session, then?” you ask, a playful smile still present.

“I was thinking that maybe we could go to the carnival by the pier? I figured some roller coasters and cotton candy would be a good stress reliever.” He nods towards the pier where the silhouettes of the rides outline the diming sky.

“Sounds good to me. What are we waiting for?” Taking the teen by the elbow, you pull him towards the setting sun. Laughing lightly at the almost bashful way he keeps up with you. 

As the day turns into night, the two of you take your time through the carnival. You start with the games, insisting that they were your favorite part. Although you weren’t particularly of the athletic type, you often favored the games because they were skill based and weren’t so adrenaline inducing. Games that involved winning prizes were much more your avenue. However, the teen had something else in mind. Soon you found yourself in line to ride the largest roller coaster in the park, your nerves barely under containment as the current round of thrill seekers zoomed over head, their screams of delight (or fright, it was hard to distinguish) quickly following after them as they raced along the tracks. 

“You’ll be fine. It’s fun, I promise.” He took a hold of your hand in his, and gave a tight squeeze. The act was reassuring enough to calm you…that is until the newest round of people went screaming over head. Jumping from the fright, you push yourself closer to the teen subconsciously looking for solace in his calm demeanour. He only chuckled, draping an arm around your shoulders as the two of you made your way up the line until it was the two of you in the front seat. 

You strap in your seat belt and the operator brings the bar over head into your lap with a resounding click. And although you understand the engineering behind rollercoasters, it still didn’t stop the anxiousness you felt as the car jolted to life and onto the track. Further and further you go up the tracks as if you’re being swallowed up by the night sky. You start to feel the pull of gravity dragging your weight backwards, and it’s hard to hold yourself up off the back of the seat without straining. The air is thinner with every foot you go, and suddenly the world below is much smaller. The last time you were this high, you were on the roof of Titan Tower. It would have been a much nicer experience had you not been aware of the impending drop that was soon approaching.

The car stops at the peak of the top, and your car is just on the cusp of highest point. For a moment, you’re weightless, and the cool night breeze billows around you beckoning your attention. A hand reaches out to takes yours, fingers intertwining tightly. You turn to Dick, wide-eyed and barely breathing to which he meets with his own excited grin. You’ve never seen such an expression on his face before. He’s usually more composed, almost stoic in a way. But this time he looks his age, young and carefree. 

The world is silent and slow for a moment. 

Dick pulls his glittering eyes away from the sky, to look at you. You watch, enraptured in the way that he manages to smile even larger at you. His lips move, but you don’t hear his words. You’re not paying attention. The sound of your own blood pumping through your ears is too loud. He gives your hand a squeeze, pulls his eyes away from you and leans forward. 

No, he’s not leaning forward, he’s falling forward and so are you. Looking forward, you are faced with the steep drop that the ride is known for. Your breath is caught in your throat. 

Suddenly his words cut through the air like a blade.

**“Hold on tight!”**

His words bring time back to speed, and before you can take a breath, the car is hurtling over the ledge. Your hair whips around you, the only thing free to flail as the rest of you is strapped in to the metal ride. The wind whistles so loud in your ear that you can’t hear just how loud your screaming. Tears are pulled from your eyes almost unwillingly from sheer velocity. You barely register that Dick has his arms in the air, coincidently taking one of yours with it. Your other hand is so tightly gripped into the leather guard that your fingers were white from lack of circulation. The dip back up onto the smaller hill shoves your stomach into your chest before you’re reaching over another peak and speeding down the tracks once more. You scream louder with what little breath you manage to regain, making the teen beside you laugh even harder. 

But just as quickly the drop had come, the ride ended. And with every little jerk of the track as it slides back into the beginning, you slowly come back from the adrenaline high. You’re breathing hard, and your heart is beating so hard against your chest, but unlike any other time your anxiousness had come to assault your senses, this didn’t feel as dreadful. In fact, it felt almost euphoric. Your fingers and toes tingled, and you had to fight the urge to laugh from pure joy. 

Even as the two of you walked away to find a new thing to try, you felt so light on your feet. 

“See, it felt good, right?” Dick inquires, as the two of you sit at a bench to come down from your rollercoaster high. 

“That’s actually the most fun I’ve had in a long time.” You can’t fight the elated laugh that slips through your as you agree and it only seems to please the teen more. He grins at your reaction, and leans his elbows on his knees as he watches you try to regain composure. He hasn’t seen that look of bliss on your face before, and he can’t help but find it entrancing. He wants to see more of it.  
He stands quickly, offering out his hand for you to do the same. You can’t help but give him a questioning look. 

“There’s still a lot of fun left. This date isn’t over yet,” he jokes as he pulls you up. 

You don’t even bother correcting him, instead opting to follow him as he leads you to the next ride. 

By the time the two of you are content with just how much you’ve accomplished, Dick had managed to convince you to ride almost every ride in the park, and you managed to convince him to play every game there was. Turns out the teen was quite the athletic as he managed to excel at every game in the fair. He had offered to win you the largest prize there was, but you opted for a small stuffed bird plushie instead. 

After all the laughter and pure energy from the day, and eating all the sweet treats that the fair had to offer, the two of you felt content with resting against the grassy hillside gazing up at the stars above. Despite being in the city, there were still small areas in which the light pollution didn’t affect as much, and it gave a brief feeling of escape. 

It was easy to be around Dick, despite the relatively short amount of time that you knew him. He never asked prying questions, or pestered you to allow him to follow you around whilst you went about your business. Although he could be a bit standoffish at times, he never overstepped boundaries and let you have your space. It was a nice change from the two other teens that you’ve had experience with. 

With one arm cuddled around the stuffed plushie, and the other behind your head as a make-shift pillow, you gave a content sigh. It’s been a long time since you’ve felt so peaceful. 

“Dick?”

He hummed out his acknowledgement. 

“I don’t think I had the chance to tell you, but I just wanted to say thank you. I had a lot of fun today.” Turning onto your side, you find that he’s already turned towards you. His eyes are almost unworldly in the moonlight, and you can’t help but smile slightly. 

“You’re welcome. I had a lot of fun too.” 

Pushing yourself up to sit, you instantly miss the feeling of the grass beneath you and the close companionship. But if you stayed out much longer, you were sure that Todd would ask more questions. “But unfortunately, I should start heading home.”

About to push yourself up to stand, Dick sits forward, catching your wrist before you can get too far. 

“Mecha, wait—“ he says abruptly in his haste to catch you.

 

 

_Mecha?_

 

The name echoes in your mind.

Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._

 

You’ve never shared that alias with Dick before. 

 

Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._ Mecha _Mecha._

 

**“What did you just call me?”**


	47. The Persistent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the long awaited confrontation chapter. I think you might all be a bit surprised by how this chapter panned out. Honestly, this chapter surprised me. Anyway, this chapters is dedicated to **Miccymellow** who won the 200th reviewer contest back in 2013 on Lunaescence! (Oh God, that contest was 4 years ago. I'm a terrible human being.) Miccymellow requested an intimate chapter between Mecha and Robin, and how much more intimate can it get than their reunion chapter? 
> 
> As always, this chapter is un-beta'd. So I apologize in advanced for any misspellings or wrong words that I sometimes have in random places. Also, I'm going to let you guys know that this chapter switches POVs several times within the chapter, but it doesn't actually have breaks to indicate them. I've done this on purpose, please don't kill me. I wanted to experiment with tactical POV switches to play with just how emotional and intimate the characters are here. I think it works for the most part. 
> 
> Oh! And I want to pose a question to you guys, if you might humor me in the reviews. How do you see this story ending? Do you think Mecha would choose Robin? Does she choose Red X? Or does she leave them both behind? Let me know what you think in a review!
> 
> Again, thank you to all of you who've stuck with this story for so long and have reviewed. I'm happy knowing that you guys still enjoy my updates. The enthusiasm you convey through your reviews give me new life.

“What did you just call me?” 

What could the teen possibly say? He’s been caught, and not for any other reason than his own hastiness. He had messed up terribly, and this wouldn’t just cost him all the progress he’s made with you thus far. This could cost him your trust entirely. How could he possibly be so stupid! He had risked everything to get this far. He had gone even so far as to use his own visage. He sacrificed time from his own duties to just meet you every other night at that bar. Even the other Titans had become uneasy with how fixated he seemed towards meeting with you. After the incident with Slade, they were concerned that the past would repeat itself 

Robin had convinced them that this matter was entirely different. You aren’t like Slade, you’re able to be saved, salvaged from the life you were given. Robin was convinced, _is convinced_ that if anyone could help you, it was him.

But he didn’t plan for you to find out so early. He wanted to prolong the secret for a while more, to ease you into the news and rebuild the trust you once gave him. But he could see the shock in your eyes, the betrayal beginning to ebb its way forward. You were looking at him the same way you did all those nights ago when the police had come for you and he met your eyes through the crowd. He wished he could tell you just how the crowd had bombarded him the minute he left the building. How the police thanked him for his help as they forced their way past him shocked him into a stupor. How the reporters had dragged him away from the scene for an interview, and how the fans blocked him from reaching you. He wanted to tell that the whole ordeal had shocked him just as bad as you….but any semblance of that chance was crumbling between his fingers. 

You tore yourself from his grip, adding cautious distance from him. 

The teen leapt to his feet. “Wait! Mecha, _please_ \--“ 

“No, don’t you **dare** get any closer!” You silenced him with a cold glare and an outstretched arm to ward him from getting too close. “How the hell do you know that name? Who are you really?” 

Your outstretched hand is already shaking, something the teen noticed that you only do when overwhelmed. Even though you voiced a command, he could hear the quiver in your voice and noticed the skittish way you moved whenever he took a step forward. 

It was because you aren’t a fighter, he realized. With the terrified look you gave, he came to understand that you have never been trained in combat like the Titans. You probably didn’t even know the basics of self defense without the use of technology...and judging from the way you distanced yourself, you didn’t have anything to help should someone choose to attack. And here he stood looking like the biggest threat. 

Dick gripped his hair in frustration. How did things always turn out this way?

“Wait, _wait_. Don’t run. I’m not here to hurt you. I just—“ 

 

“Just answer the question, Dick! God—I don’t—is that even your real name?!” You looked around quickly, as if trying to find someone to rescue you from this ridiculous situation, but you never turned your back on him or left him out of your peripherals. 

Dick lifted his hands in the air, calming his nerves as to not frighten you further. “I can explain everything, just calm down.” When you don’t move, the teen took that as an invitation to continue. “I’m going to reach into my pocket, to get something. It won’t harm you, okay? It’ll explain everything.” 

When you didn’t make a move to stop him, the teen slowly reached down into his front pocket and pulled out something black and white, folded neatly in half. He could feel his heart pound strongly in his chest, and the sound it made drowned out everything else. He paused, looking down at the item he held. This is it. He has no choice but to show you now. He can feel the dread course through his veins at the prospect of your reaction. 

You watch in stunned silence as the teen uses his fingers to slick his hair back, and takes a steadying breath before placing a domino mask over his striking blue eyes. Within seconds, Dick was no longer standing in front of you. Robin, the leader of The Teen Titans, stood in his place. Suddenly everything came rushing back. All the emotions, all the history, and everything in between rushed through you, pushing your mind past the point of coherence. You are frozen in a terrible stupor.

 

Dick is Robin?

 

_Dick is Robin._

 

_**DICK. IS. ROBIN.** _

 

“Mecha—“

You’re running. You don’t know where you’re going. You don’t know how you’re going to out run him. There’s no thought process, there’s no reasoning. There is only the urge in your legs to run, and you let them lead you back to the city where you would have the best chance at finding a place to escape. How stupid you feel for being so blind and openly trusting him again. You made the same mistake twice with the same person, and you couldn’t fight the disgust with yourself creeping forward. With the wind pushing you faster, you pump your legs as hard and as quickly as they can go. To escape. To escape the boy that seemed to prove inescapable. You can hear him behind you, asking you to stop, asking you to let him explain. But you can’t. You can’t let him. Because if you hear him out you’re sure that you won’t be able to refuse him. 

“Mecha, stop!” You try to ignore him once more, but a strong force pushes you from behind sending you falling forward. 

It’s Robin who tackles you, sending the both of you tumbling over each other against the grass. You’re disoriented just from the tumble, unaware of where you are or what direction is up. The air is pushed from your body, and your lungs are burning for oxygen. But a weight keeps you pressed into the ground.

When you’re able to come back to your senses, you realize that the teen has you pinned. He looks barely exerted from the scuffle, while you’re huffing more air into your lungs. You never had a shot at getting away, not really. It’s scary just seeing the difference in physical ability between you. Despite the pleading way he seems to beseech you in his expression, you can’t afford to look him in the eyes. You’re scared, afraid, and angry. There are too many emotions to express, and your body feels like it’s going to explode.

The silence that settles between the two of you is deafening. After a while, you can’t stop the wry chuckle that escapes your lips, to which you’re sure just upsets him more. But it’s funny, in a terrible sort of way, that this is the closest you two have been in a long time, and yet you’ve never felt further from him. 

“Okay,” you say in acknowledgement of your defeat. “I’m listening.” 

But it’s easy to see that you’ve already put yourself at an emotional distance away from him. Dick can tell from the tone of your voice and the cold expression on your face. You’ve reverted to how cold you acted when he first met you, if not colder, and he can feel something deep inside him contort painfully. He thought he knew the extent of your disdain for him, and that he was prepared to meet it head on, but now he can see how wrong he was in that assumption. He wants to say something, wants to tell you everything, but the air is caught in his throat. He’s missed the warm expression you used to send him, and the playful ways the two of you would interact. He missed so much of that relationship, but seeing you now has made him think. 

Perhaps the relationship wasn’t salvageable. 

“I’m sorry.” He mutters just barely above a whisper. He slowly releases your arms from his grasp, and rests his hands in the grass on either side of your face. 

“Is that all you have to say? Sorry doesn’t even begin—“ 

**_”Just listen!”_** He pounds his fist in frustration against the soft ground beside you. The sudden raise of his voice makes you flinch back from the teen, ending your attempt at back talk as quick and as sharp as it began. 

“Please,” his voice is softer this time, pleading. You can feel the heat of his breath against your neck, and it beckons you to turn to meet him. But you can’t. You’re terrified. You know the wall you’ve built will shatter instantly. He’s upset, you can hear it, and the traitorous thing in your chest wants to reach out, but you don’t. You’ve been spurned before, you remind yourself. And even though it feels like it tears you in two, you stay steadfast in avoiding the teen as best you can in the position you’re in. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to find out this way. I-I...it was wrong. I don’t even know why I did it. I just…I was trying to find you for so long, and I was desperate. If you knew it was me from the beginning, I knew you wouldn’t want to listen. I couldn’t risk you running again. I just really needed to talk to you, and I thought you’d rather talk to Dick than you would Robin.”

You don’t look at him, despite his attempt at reconciliation. He tries terribly hard to make eye contact with you, but you insist on looking away and it pains him more than he can comprehend. And in this moment he can’t help but think that life is horribly unfair. Unfair because he hadn’t done anything to betray you, he never made that call, never set you up. In fact, he tried his best to protect you. He asked the other Titans to leave you be, that he would be the one to keep an eye on you and your business. He insisted that you weren’t a threat, and even convinced them that you were an ally. Thanks to the file compiled at the prison, Robin learned of your life and had pieced together just how you’ve had to live it thus far. It’s unfair in the cards life dealt you, and still handed to you time after time. He wanted to make it up to you, to make everything better.

But what could he say?

What could he do to make things go back to the way they were?

“I didn’t do it….” He starts. “I didn’t call that ambush on you that day. I swear it wasn’t me. I don’t know who did it, but I’ve been trying to find the person ever since.”

Your heart beats faster, joyous at the thought that this had all been a mistake. But reason pushes those hopes away. You ball your hands into fists, feeling your nails bite into the skin of your palm, but the pain that it creates is nothing in comparison to that in your chest. You just want to crawl into a hole and pretend this never happened. You want to pretend that you never met Robin, or Dick, or whatever his name is. 

“I know you don’t believe me…” he mutters. “If I were you, I wouldn’t believe me either…”

When you make no move to acknowledge him, he continues. Even if you won’t listen to him, at least in the end he’d be able to tell you everything. He would empty himself of the truth and entrust you with the decision of where to go from there. “You once told me…that someone close to you had picked a side and he paid a steep price because of it. You said that if you had to choose…that you’d choose me.” Words are pouring from his lips now. Things that he’s wanted to say for so long now just over flowing. He can feel his throat constrict to stop him from spilling every thought, but he goes on. “And I know that you won’t choose me now…at least not yet. Not with everything that’s happened…but, if there ever comes a day where you want to leave everything behind and start fresh, I want you to know that I’ll be here waiting. If it’s today, tomorrow, or even ten years from now, I’ll be there waiting.” 

And true to his word, the teen waits, waits for you to look his way but you don’t, and it feels like something constricts inside his chest painfully. 

“Mecha,” he calls softly. “ _Please_.”

This time, you match the teen’s gaze, and that’s all it takes for the barrier to break. You meet his eyes and all the pent-up emotion comes to the fore front, pushing forward until they release themselves in the form of tears. They cascade down your cheeks onto the soft grass beneath you and into your hair. 

“That’s stupid.” Your voice is strained by the constriction in your throat. “What if it takes more than ten years? What if I never choose? What are you going to do then?”

He meets your tears with a reassuring smile, almost too happy for the situation. “Then the option is there if ever and whenever you need it.” 

“Why are you doing this?” You ask, trying to search for answers in the pools of cerulean. “How am I supposed to trust you? What makes you think you can still trust me? Why are you trying so hard to make this work? I don’t understand.” You’re a blubbering mess by now. Stuck in the grass, having to face your fears and future makes you vulnerable. He’s cracked you open so quickly that it terrifies you. You bring your arms up to wipe the tears away, and try to weakly push against the teen. But he doesn’t let up, doesn’t let you go just yet. This is the most honest he’s seen you in a long time, and he wants to relish in it for just a little while longer. “Is Dick e-even your real name?” 

The last question makes him laugh because it makes him remember the interaction he had with you the first time he introduced himself as such. He moves to wipe your tears away as you opt to smack him weakly against the chest. “My full name is Richard John Grayson, but I go by Dick. It’s only fair that you know my real name when I know yours.”

Dick isn’t sure where this puts the two of you, or even if there is a place to go from here. But he knows that the heavy weight that’s been looming in the air has been lifted.


	48. The Persistent II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought we were done with the confrontations? Oh, no no no. I actually started writing this thinking that it would be a short little itty bitty update/ deleted scene before I would go on to other chapters, but it ended up writing itself into a full update! I'm so sorry. The chapters have been so dark lately *cries*. Unfortunately we're about to hit another turning point in the story, so expect a lot of heavy chapters soon. 
> 
> Also, did you guys know that I'm working on a webcomic? It's part of the reason why I have a hard time updating on a constant basis.
> 
> Anyway, hope you guys enjoy! As always, I read every review, and appreciate all the feedback. Thank you to those who reviewed last chapter, and gave your input on how you see this story panning out. It was definitely interesting to see what everyone is thinking!

Robin stands with his hands in his pockets as he watches you go. You had insisted that it would be best if you went home on your own, and after what had just transpired, he couldn’t find it in himself to fight you. The interaction had gone better than he expected. Despite the tears and the numerous hits he took to placate you in your distress, there was less yelling and less violence sent his way. 

He feels content now, his conscience settled from seeing you again. There is more that Robin wanted to clear up, but he’ll keep it within himself for now. This encounter is enough. Perhaps he’ll be able to have a more restful sleep tonight. 

As your figure turns with the winding road, and Robin loses sight of you, he thinks that it’s also time for him to go. He waits for a bit longer, staring at the place you stood before you left. He recalls how you bid him goodbye using his real name, and he feels his heart skip a beat. It’s been so long since he’s heard someone say that name and it sounded so nice when it came from you. 

The hero takes a deep breath and lets out an equally deep sigh before shaking himself into focus. This reconciliation of sorts was nice, but he still has work to do. Relishing in the butterflies in his stomach won’t do him well while there’s still people like Slade and whoever targeted you, still out there. There’s still a lot left to do. Speaking of which, there’s still a lead on Slade’s whereabouts back at Titan Tower, and if he hurried, he’d be able to—

_“Well, wasn’t that touching.”_

Robin stops mid-step. Senses on high alert. He didn’t notice anyone around! Before the person behind him can take advantage of Robin’s surprise, the hero slips his extendable bo from his belt, extending it as he spins to attack. 

The person isn’t phased and simply catches the metal weapon in a strong grip before it can do damage. But when Robin’s eyes adjust, he can’t believe what stands before him. It’s a person dressed in the Red X suit, something he was sure he locked away in a high security vault within the center of Titan Tower. “You…How did…?!”

“Surprised? So was I when I first tried it out. It’s too nice a toy to be kept in a dusty old vault.” 

Their arms shake from the equal force they push on each other, but neither make a move to concede. 

“Who are you? What do you want?” Robin grinds his question between clenched teeth.

The older teen laughs, but doesn’t falter in his grip. “Have you been taking detective lessons from your mentor? I heard he’s not the best at interrogation, so you might want to rethink that choice.”

“Just answer the questions!” Robin pushes the rest of his weight against the bo, catching Red X by surprise as he stumbles back a few steps.

“No need to be pushy, hero boy. I’m not here to start a fight.” The older teen puts his hands up in mock surrender. “I just want to talk.” 

There’s some distance between the two now, but the air between them is dense despite Red X’s leisurely stance. 

“We’ve met before, you know. I’m dressed a little different now than I was then, but then again, so are you. Trying to impress Mecha, are you?”

“How do you know—?”

“Mecha?” The teen laughs again. “I told you. We met before, right?”

Memories of the prison flood through Robin’s mind. There are memories of a teen dressed in an officer’s clothing the night Robin caught you mid escape. The teen had been your neighbour in the cell block, his name was— “Jason Todd.”

“Ahh, so you do remember. I’m impressed that you found my info after Mecha pretty much wiped it from most databases. Truthfully, I think I prefer Red X now, though,” Todd says, tapping on the red insignia on his chest. “Makes me sound a little more mysterious.” 

Robin glares at the teen, gripping his bo tightly in a defensive stance. “How did you get your hands on that? I locked it away months ago.” 

Todd cocked his head to the side. “Well I happened to make a really smart friend in jail. Actually, if it wasn’t for you, her and I never would’ve gotten so close. I guess I should thank you for that.” 

When Todd mentions his close relationship with you, that’s when Robin realizes just what this meeting is about. “You’re jealous,” he says matter-of-fact. 

“Jealous?” Suddenly Todd’s demeanour changes. In a flicker, Todd disappears from sight only to reappear in front of Robin mid-punch. Robin is quick enough to launch his own attack. They catch each other’s fists in their free hands, and they’re deadlocked once again. “There’s nothing to be jealous of, hero boy.” 

Robin smirks despite the fatigue he feels in his arms. “Really? Because it sounds like I hit a sore spot.” 

“Actually,” Red X breaks away first, using the suit to reappear behind Robin and sweep his feet from under him. “I’m angry.” 

Todd doesn’t give him a chance to get up, he uses the chance to launch a punch straight to the hero’s jaw. Robin is instantly spitting blood from his new busted lip. The world spins for just a second as Robin’s senses are dampened from the hit. Instead of launching another attack, Todd favours kneeling over the slumped younger teen. With a strong tug on Robin’s collar, Todd brings them face to face. “I’m angry that after the hell you put her through, you think you can explain everything away and act like everything’s fine. I don’t think that’s a fair deal.” 

Robin feels the blood trail down his chin and soak his shirt, but he doesn’t look away from the fuming teen before him. 

“People like you don’t get just how privileged you are,” Todd continues. “You can ask for anything you want and with a little hard work and influence, you can get anything you like. But people like me? People like Mecha? We get fed your table scraps. We get treated like your pets and then take the fall when you do something wrong. What’s up with that?” 

Robin doesn’t answer, not that Todd expects him to. With a huff, Todd tries to quench his other curiosities. “You know what I think? I think you don’t like her as much as you say you do. I think you’re obsessed with the fact that she won’t let herself fall for you. It’s classic really. You want the one thing you can’t have. You can have your choice of any girl in the city, but of course you want the one girl who didn’t want anything to do with you.” 

Todd shoves the teen away in favour of standing, pressing his foot against Robin’s chest to keep him on the ground. “Think of this as a warning, _Dick_. You leave Mecha alone, and we won’t have a problem. But if I find out that you’re trying to stick your nose in places it doesn’t belong, then we’ll be meeting again, and next time I don’t think I’ll be as cordial.” Todd leans more of his weight onto the leg that’s pinning Robin down. “Understand?” 

Robin doesn’t respond, only deepens his glare at the teen, but Todd lets up anyway, stepping away. “You think on that, hero boy. Oh, and don’t worry about coming to find me when you make up your mind. _I’ll come find you._ ” Todd turns away with a casual salute. “Goodnight, hero.”


End file.
